Yu Nishinoya and the Shrieking Shack
by Killthespares
Summary: In general, it's almost always a bad idea to give Hogwarts students a device that controls time. In other news, Noya acquires a terrifying new animal interest, Kuroo attempts to balance politics and school work, and Yachi gets suspicious. Oh, also, someone might be trying to kill Hinata but what else is new... Third story in series. Contains Slash.
1. Mothers and Fathers

Yachi awoke to the sound of Aurors banging on the door.

At first, the sound was almost indistinguishable from the thunder outside. She probably wouldn't have even noticed the difference if she was back in her room instead of asleep in the study, next to a pile of old books.

But she wasn't in her room and she did hear it. She was awake when her mother went to answer it. She was there to peak her head around the corner. She was able to see the bright gleam of badges and the crisp cut of uniform shirts.

She wasn't close enough to hear the low murmured conversation.

It seemed they were only there for a minute before her mother was closing the door, leaning heavily on the wood for support that Yachi had never known her mother to need.

"Mom?"

Her head shot up, eyes widening when she saw Yachi down the hall. "Hitoka, what are you still doing up?"

"I feel asleep in the study." Yachi made her way closer. "Mom, those were the Aurors, right? What were they doing here? Was it work or-"

"Not work." Her mother grasped her shoulders, guiding her to the stairs. "Come on, it's time for you to go to sleep."

"Wait! Mom, why were the Aurors here?"

Hands tightened on her shoulders, just briefly.

"The Ghost that killed your father and aunt was found dead in a cell tonight."

Yachi froze, allowing her mother to lead her the rest of the way up the stairs and to her room. "Mom?"

"Good night, Hitoka. We'll talk about this more in the morning."

The last words Yachi knew were a lie. Her mother never talked about her father.

ooooooo

"-those pesky, secretive Unspeakables were offering up too good of an opportunity to pass up and I knew I just _had _to volunteer you," his father continued, regarding him from the other side of the desk. "It's the perfect opportunity and all because they want to test what continued time travel can do to the adolescent mind and stress levels."

Kuroo held up the small golden time turner with a high degree of skepticism.

"Gee, Dad," he said dryly. "I never knew you cared so much about my stress levels. If you wanna talk about feelings, I could-" "

His father-Ozuro Kuroo, Councilor of the Wizamagot and the very embodiment of a career politician- sighed deeply. "I do wish you'd quit being absurd. You're a Kuroo, of course, the stress won't be a issue."

"Then, dare I ask, what _is_ the issue?"

His father looked vaguely pleased, though whether that was for his son 'showing initiative' or just the chance to talk more Kuroo couldn't hazard a guess.

"Three reasons," Ozuro answered. "First, providing a reliable test subject means the Department of Mystery will owe me one which I can definitely use when I finally run for minister." He ignored Kuroo's snort. "Plus, the Review Board for the test is made up of some of the highest ranking members of the Ministry. Third, once you succeed-and you _will _succeed-the results will be published in a number of high profile magical scientific journals. In other words, the perfect opportunity for you to begin your own political debut."

"I told you politics is the _last _thing I want to do."

"And I told you that your willful disobedience has a time and place where it's amusing and this is _not it_," his father said firmly. "You will start cultivating your political alliances more seriously because it is what you were raised to do."

Kuroo glared silently.

Ozuro hummed. "It really is a pity you didn't inherit more of your mother's legilimency gift-"

"_Don't_," Kuroo warned.

-although you've been able to show somewhat of a keen political sense when selecting your friends anyway," he continued, swapping topics seamlessly as if it had been the plan all along. "The Bokuto's have always been a powerful Light family and though the Sugawara's are a controversial one, it might help us with the Traditionalists. The top muggleborn-Oikawa, right?-that may prove a helpful name if he becomes anything after you graduate. Boosts up the ones that want to appear muggle-supportive. And...the other one, what was it?"

"Iwaizumi, he's a halfblood."

His father made a disinterested noise. "...Oh. Well, I suppose it's good to look close to one or two common folk, too. It'll make you look humble."

"Wow, geeze, thanks," Kuroo muttered sarcastically. "And can you believe I chose them for something stupid like their personalities?"

"Always so stubborn." His father sighed. "This is a _good _thing, Tetsuro. Of course, it would have been even _better_ if you were in Slytherin. Ravenclaw always comes off as so boring." Kuroo rolled his eyes. "But I suppose a responsible Ravenclaw, trusted enough to properly use a time turner, will still make for a good press release."

"Fine. Is that all?"

"Not quite," Ozuro answered. "I have another task for you during your school year. You should have time since your grades have been fine but not _spectacular_."

"I'm third in my year," he muttered.

"Exactly." His father conjured a file. "The Tsukishima and Yamaguchi families, they both have heirs a bit younger than you. Kei Tsukishima and Tadashi Yamaguchi. I take it you've seen them?"

"Wouldn't even know their faces," Kuroo lied.

Another sigh. "Well, luckily, I have some recent pictures of them that might jog your memory. Either way, I need you to get to know them. Talk to them, make a connection, become their friend if you're able."

Great, Kuroo hated it when he's actually _ahead _of his dad's schedule. Not that he was planning on mentioning it."

"I'm your son, not your spy," he said instead. "Also, I'm two years older than them and they're not even in my House. Don't you think it'll be a little bit weird if I try to get close to them now?"

"Spy is not a very pretty word, it's _politics_," Ozuro corrected. "Also, I know you're my son which is why I'm sure you're resourceful enough to find a way. Both of them come from old Wizamagot families that are notoriously moderate but currently showing slight intention to align more with the Light over the Traditionalists. Sway them and a number of the other moderates will follow which I _need _for a bill I'm campaigning for in a few months."

Kuroo looked down, tracing idly on the wooden armrests' engravings. "What's the bill?"

"It's introducing a new clause to the Werewolf Rights Act to promote access to wolfsbane for those less financially fortunate."

Merlin, and if there was one thing Kuroo hated even _more _it's when father's plan was something he actually agreed with.

"Wait!" Kuroo's head shot up. "You don't care about werewolves! I bet you've never even met one!"

His father let out an annoyed huff. "I'll have you know I took a photo opp with one last year at a charity event. Poor miserable little creature."

Kuroo didn't buy it. "I'm pretty sure calling them 'creatures' kind of hurts your point"

"Excellent point," Ozuro said. "I'll make sure to have my assistant look into what phrasing tests best. Anyway, the point is the bill will play incredibly well with the rest of our family's Light supporters while still being conservative enough to please the middle ground. All of which should put me in as a frontrunner for the next Minister elections"

"And it will actually help werewolves," Kuroo asked with narrowed eyes.

"Yes, of course," his father assured, "and a poor werewolf or two will get some wolfsbane while still staying far, _far _away from the rest of us normal wizards."

Kuroo groaned. "Fine, I'll help with the stupid bill."

"I knew you'd see reason, son."

"But, is _that _all," Kuroo asked, already standing up.

"One more thing." Ozuro regarded him steadily, face abruptly serious. "I shouldn't have to mention that the experiment with the time-turner is to remain an absolute secret until you can be reviewed by a group of ministry officials at the end of the year and the results can be recorded. Tell _anyone _and both you and I will be in serious trouble with the Ministry-a result that is _unacceptable_. No one can know. Do you understand?"

Kuroo looked down at the time turner gripped in his hands before turning up to meet his father's eyes.

"I understand."

ooooooo

"So, guys, guess who has a time turner," Kuroo said cheerfully, holding it up as he dropped to his seat in the train compartment.

A moment of stunned silence followed.

"What," Oikawa blurted out. "Wait, no, _how_? Why? Who?"

"Let's see," Kuroo ticks off on his fingers. "What-I got a time turner, as I said. Why-the Ministry thought it would be a fun idea to test the effects of time travel on teenagers or some other dragon dung that my father decided to sign me up for. And, yeah, I think that also answers the who and the how, too."

"This is a bad idea," Suga hummed, not sounding all that bothered by it.

"This is a _great _idea," Bokuto corrected. "This is the most awesome thing that's ever happened to us! Even better than the last two years."

"You know if you're ignoring the risk of going insane by using it," Iwaizumi said, eyeing the device suspiciously.

"He did say the last two years," Oikawa pointed out. "And compared to being killed by a blood purist or a giant snake, this definitely wins."

Iwaizumi snorted. "Stop, you'll jinx us."

"I guess I should probably mention this is a top level Ministry secret," Kuroo said, pocketing the time turner. "One that I've been severely ordered not to tell anyone."

"Great job with that." Oikawa rolled his eyes. "You made it to the train compartment."

"Eh, I never really liked orders." Kuroo shrugged. "And like I was seriously going to be able to hide casual time travel from all four of you for an entire year. Don't mention it to anyone else though, threats of legal action and topmost Ministry orders and yadda, yadda, yadda."

"We're still all going to use it though, right," Oikawa asked.

"Well, duh. I'm not crazy! But, I'm definitely not mentioning _that_ to the Review Board."

Bokuto frowned. "Wait, what's the Review Board?"

"A group of high up Ministry guys that'll 'evaluate my progress' or whatever at the end of the year when they come to get the time turner." Kuroo shrugged. "They're not quite crazy enough to trust a teenager with one _indefinitely._"

"Aww, so we only get it for a year?" Bokuto pouted.

"That's probably for the best," Suga said and Iwaizumi nodded emphatically.

Bokuto stuck out a tongue. "Spoilsport!"

Suga didn't disagree. "So other than getting a device to travel through time, anyone else do anything interesting this summer?"

"You mean other than go on dates with their new boyfriend," Kuroo teased.

"Daichi and I are doing well, thanks," Suga said with a small blush. "Anyone _else_?"

"Hmmm, me?" Oikawa asked, holding a hand to his chest in mock surprise. "Oh, nothing much, I suppose. Just using that nice Ministry medical exemption for underage magic to catch up on all that terrible school work I missed while petrified-"

"Which you finished before we even left Hogwarts," Iwaizumi added.

"And, okay, maybe I decided to expand my areas of research a little bit more than the my school work strictly necessitated. In the name of being a better student, of course."

"Of course," Suga agreed solemnly.

"And I may have very possibly been working on a slightly challenging field of interest. Say," Oikawa grinned. "Wandless magic."

"No way, no freaking way!" Bokuto's eyes widened. "You learned wandless magic over _one summer_?!"

Iwaizumi coughed, looking at Oikawa pointedly.

"Weeeelllll," Oikawa said. "Somewhat. The basics at least. A few things might need a bit more practice."

"He blew up my family's garage," Iwaizumi said flatly.

Kuroo let out a snort of laughter.

Oikawa waved it away. "I'm sure I can master it once we're back at Hogwarts. I just need the library."

"So, you're going to be trying to learn wandless magic on top of schoolwork," Kuroo asked.

"Yep," Oikawa agreed. "You know me, I like to work ahead. Plus, no way I'm losing top of the grade _again _after the stupid petrification knocked me out from last year's ranks."

"Want to bet on it? A competition even?"

Oikawa made an interested noise. "Sounds fun, why?"

"Because," Kuroo said, "if I'm pissing my dad off-which I'm sure I'll do at least once in this whole stupid time turner research-it's good to have something better to point at. That means I need to raise my class rank and I'm sure not going through _that_ without a little betting to make it fun."

"Full competition, no holds barred," Oikawa asked and Kuroo nodded. "What do we bet on?"

"Your choice."

Oikawa tapped his chin. "One unnamed favor. No expiration. Can be called in anytime. No questions."

"Deal," Kuroo agreed immediately, holding out his hand for Oikawa to shake.

Suga and Iwaizumi shared a look.

Suga sighed. "They're going to drive themselves crazy with this, aren't they?"

"Definitely," Bokuto said.

ooooooo

Lev tilted his head. "Do you think we should like poke him or something?"

"No," Kageyama whispered back. "He's just sleeping. Leave him alone."

Lev gestured to the slightly disheveled lump, currently occupying the compartment's corner. "But, why is he even _here_?! What if he like accidentally stumbled onto the train and then _died_ and now if we _don't_ poke him to check, he'll haunt us forever for not giving him a proper burial!"

Kenma didn't even look up from his book. "I'm willing to take that risk."

"Oh, what if he's a teacher," Hinata shouted before being aggressively _shh_-ed by Kageyama.

"I don't know," Lev said. "Doesn't he look kind of... scruffy for a teacher? I'm still going for disgruntled ghost."

"This train does go to Hogsmeade, too," Kenma pointed out.

"Yeah, but what are the odds of someone _using it for Hogsmeade today_," Lev asked. "Dad said anyone sane avoids the entire train station today."

"Probably because they'll get poked in their sleep," Kageyama said.

"What do you think, Yachi," Hinata asked.

The blonde girl didn't respond.

"Yachi?"

"Hmm?" She turned away from the window. "Sorry, what?"

"The guy in the corner," Hinata asked. "New teacher, random guy going to Hogsmeade, or ghost?"

Yachi frowned. "Wouldn't he be a little less solid if he was a ghost?"

"Pre-ghost then!" Lev waved the question away.

Kageyama snorted. "Isn't that just a nice way to say 'dead body?'"

"I'm pretty sure dead bodies don't breathe," Yachi noted, pointing to the rise and fall of the man's shoulders.

A rattle shook the compartment, jarring the man's head against the window. He groaned, stretching in his seat.

"Or do that," she added.

The man let out another groan, opening his eyes, and Yachi leaned closer to steady him. "Are you alright, sir?"

The man stared at her. "Madoka?"

Yachi frowned, shaking her head. "Madoka's my mother."

"Oh." The man straightened, rubbing at his head as a warm smile formed. "Then, you're….you're Hitoka, aren't you?"

"Um, yes?" Yachi shifted under the attention. "I don't mean to be rude but do I know you?"

The smile faded. "No. I...I'm sorry, I haven't seen you since you were a toddler. I was," the man paused, "I knew your father. Before what happened."

"Wait, what happened," Hinata whispered and Kageyama elbowed him.

"You knew my father," Yachi asked, her hands clenching briefly in her lap.

The man nodded, making to say something else before Lev interrupted.

"So, mysterious sleeping guy that apparently knows Yachi's dad," Lev started, "what are you doing on the Hogwarts Express?"

The man blinked, turning to face the rest of the compartment. "Oh, my apologies, I'm your new Defense teacher. Masao Reizei at your service."

Lev let out a choked sound. "Wait, you really _are _a teacher?"

"Hah, told you," Hinata crowed.

Reizei smiled, gesturing down to his clothes. "Admittedly, I'm a bit dressed down today. My last assignment kept me a bit longer than intended. I barely made the train."

Kenma perked up almost imperceptibly. "Assignment?"

"I'm a curse breaker."

"Oh, Merlin," Lev said, eyes wide. "I can't believe I thought you were a dead body! You're not going to fail me for that, right?"

Reizei shook his head, letting out a surprisingly warm laugh. "I've definitely been called worse."

"Why are you at Hogwarts," Kenma asked, voice emotionless as ever. "I thought curse breakers tried to stay mobile."

"We do," Reizei agreed. "But when your old headmaster owls you that the last guy got petrified, it tends to peak your interest."

"You're here about the Chamber of Secrets," Hinata asked, cautiously.

He shrugged. "I'll admit it's what got me interested. But from what I hear, there's nothing left now but a bunch of dead ends."

Lev nodded eagerly, obviously excited to tell the new professor something he didn't already know. "Yeah, there was this one message and then all the petrifications just stopped! No one even knows what happened to start it!"

Yachi, Hinata, and Kageyama studiously avoided looking at each other.

"Well," Reizei said with a small smile, "as disappointing as it is not to have a chance to solve a famous mystery, I suppose I'll enjoy having a quiet year for once."

"Good luck with that," Kageyama muttered under his breath.

The train whistle blew above them, signaling their approach to the castle. The teenagers stood reaching for their bags as Hinata and Lev both pulled out two very crumpled uniforms. Kenma sighed, casting a quick ironing charm, before heading out to the bathrooms to change.

After the boys left, Yachi hesitated, turning to the professor.

"Sorry, I don't mean to bother you, but...if you wouldn't mind, could I...ask you about my father sometime." She tried to pull up a smile but it came up hollow. "Mom doesn't like to talk about him."

Reizei looked momentarily surprised before an understanding spread across his face. "It would be my honor."

Yachi let out a breath. "Thank you, Professor."

"It's what your dad would have wanted." He hesitated. "Though I'm afraid I have a slightly odd request."

"What is it?"

"Your mother and I….we don't have the easiest history," he admitted. "She's a great woman but...well, choices were made that I found I didn't particularly agree with." He turned down. "And people I cared about got hurt because of it."

Yachi frowned. "What happened?"

Reizei shook his head. "A much longer story for another time. But if I tell you about your father, please, do not tell your mother I'm the one who told you. I...I don't think she'd be pleased to hear it came from me. Okay?"

Yachi would like to say she hesitated more. That the idea of keeping something secret from her mother caused her more distress. But, honestly, faced with the option of learning about the father that she never got to know only for keeping one tiny secret from a woman who kept so many…

The choice was obvious.

Yachi smiled. "Of course."

ooooooo

Around the fourth year Gryffindor dorm, Noya had the strangest feeling that everyone was waiting on him to do something.

It probably had something to do with way that all eyes were on him, including one particular glare from Tsukishima.

Noya turned to Tanaka, who looked just as confused as Noya himself, and shrugged.

Ah, well, he was sure he'd find out eventually.

As the expectant silence passed the two minute mark, Ennoshita sighed. "Can we hurry this up? I've got a distraught eleven-year old cousin I need to comfort about the Sorting."

"Pft, why would he be upset, he got into _Gryffindor_?" Tanaka asked.

"He wanted Hufflepuff," Ennoshita responded with a long-suffering sigh.

"But, _Ennoshita_, Gryffindor's so much cooler," Noya protested. "Why?"

Ennoshita shook his head. "Please, I'm begging you, _don't ask_."

"I don't know," Yamaguchi said, "maybe, he thought Hufflepuff would be...um, a bit more relaxed?"

"What does that even mean," Noya complained.

"It means that maybe he thought Hufflepuff wouldn't throw him in death defying stunts every year like some other Gryffindor idiots I know," Tsukishima said with an eye roll. "Speaking of which, will you please end the suspense and tell us why we're all here already?"

As if on cure, once again, the entire room turned to Noya and Tanaka.

For his part, Noya leaned over to Tanaka. "Is this one of those weird times Tsuki tries to pretend he's not friends with us?"

"Don't call me that," Tsukishima said without missing a beat. "No, this is one of those times where we all acknowledge that _you two _have way too much time over the summer to think of new ways to get us killed and we want to know which insane plan you have this time!"

Noya blinked in confusion. "What makes you think we have something planned?"

Tsukishima scoffed. "Well, you obviously weren't learning expansion charms over the summer, considering we were still packed in the train compartment like flobberworms!"

"You've gotta get over the expansion charm thing." Tanaka said, shaking his head sadly.

"I think," Yamaguchi stepped forward, holding Tsukishima back from exploding, "what Tsuki is trying to say is that normally you tend to come back from summer with, ah, _unique_ ideas for the school year."

"Huh, like what," Noya asked.

"Like the dragon egg," Daichi said.

"Or the map," Asahi added.

Yamaguchi hummed. "Though I suppose, _technically_, the map on its own wasn't dangerous."

"It is when it led us to fighting a basilisk," Tsukishima said flatly.

"Actually, I think that was more due to Daichi's love life," Ennoshita disagreed.

Daichi sighed, turning back to Noya and Tanaka. "The point is we want to know what you two are planning for this year before it tries to kill us."

Tanaka and Noya shared a look.

"Er, guys," Tanaka said slowly, "we don't have anything planned for this year?"

Five faces stared back in varying levels of disbelief.

Tanaka frowned. "No, really, we were both kind of busy visiting Saeko on the dragon preserve."

"Rolling Thunder's doing great by the way!" Noya beamed.

Tsukishima narrowed his eyes. "You two really don't have anything planned?"

Noya and Tanaka shook their heads.

"Absolutely nothing that will get us killed, maimed, or otherwise traumatized?"

Another head shake.

Ennoshita leaned back, crossing his arms. "I don't know, it seems to good to be true."

"Shh," Asahi said hurriedly.

Noya grinned. "But, hey, if you guys are really upset about it, I'm sure we can find something!"

"_NO!"_

"Geeze, fine." Noya held up his hands in surrender. "But, sounds like a pretty boring year at Hogwarts."

Daichi groaned, leaning his head in his hands.

"We can only hope."

ooooooo

A/N: And I'm back! Like the last two books, this first chapter is more of a prologue than anything so get ready. That said, this story is...strange. I can't really call it a bridge book because there's too much going on but plotwise it sets up a lot of things. Also, get ready for A LOT of character's backstories including, but not limited to, more about Noya, Kuroo, Yachi, Tanaka, and even a small hint towards Akaashi's family. Sorry, this one is a bit later than planned. To be honest, life is a bit busy right now while I finish my masters and get ready for doctorate. With that, some chapters might be a bit delayed but I'm trying hard to stay on a weekly to bi-weekly schedule of posting. As usual, this story will never be discontinued or put on hiatus. Okay, last thing, this chapter also marks a year (plus a week or two) since I first started writing and posting fanfiction beginning with the first story in this series. So, I wanted to thank everyone for all the support you've given me in the past year. There's no way I would've made it this far with this without all of you! Thank you! Next Chapter: Electives


	2. Electives

"How?" Oikawa shook his head, sitting down for breakfast. "No, wait, even better, why? For what insane reason, are you subjecting yourself to this _again_?"

"Divination is awesome!" Bokuto beamed

Kuroo winced, "Bo, and understand I'm saying this the nicest way I can, you're...kind of terrible at it."

Bokuto nodded. "Yep, that's why I'm taking a class in it."

"Have we done this before?" Oikawa turned to Iwaizumi. "I feel like we've been over this before?"

"I think the real question is how you convinced Professor Onikobe to let you sign up again," Suga said.

Bokuto shrugged. "He told me a true diviner may only witness the future, never intervene."

"That's seriously all he said," Iwaizumi asked.

"Basically." Bokuto paused. "Okay, he might have also said 'no matter how terrible the tragedy may be' and handed me the syllabus for Astronomy. But, I think he was just joking."

"I don't think Okinobe _does _jokes," Kuroo said, head in his hands.

Bokuto slammed the table excitedly. "Anyway, the point is I have a plan this time."

"We do literally have a device that controls time, it can't be that hard to find a few mild predictions," Oikawa said, speculatively.

Iwaizumi frowned. "That's cheating."

"Kuroo's supposed to use it for schoolwork." Oikawa smirked. "So, actually, it's a technicality."

Iwaizumi glared.

"Alright, fine," Oikawa held up his hands in surrender. "I wasn't _really_ suggesting it. Mostly."

"Nah, trust me, I'm not going to need it," Bokuto said. "I've got this. So, there's like three main types of divination, right?"

"I don't know," Kuroo said. "We took helpful classes."

Bokuto stuck his tongue out. "There's three, okay. Portent, Prophecy, Latent. Portent's the one with like crystal ball and looking into tea cups and stuff. Reading signs and then interpreting what they mean. But portent's all about possibilities so the futures change when stuff happens, okay?"

Oikawa snapped. "So, it's easier to make up!"

Iwaizumi elbowed him.

"And then, Prophecy's the big rare one," Bokuto continued. "Like almost _never _happens and only with really, really powerful psychics. Always verbal, always come true. It's why the Department of Mysteries keeps a record of them."

"And Latent," Suga asked.

Bokuto grinned. "Latent's between the two. Better than Portent but not anywhere near as powerful as Prophecy. You're supposed to see them with like your mind's eye." He raised his eyebrows dramatically.

Kuroo rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, they can be changed but not as easy as Portent." Bokuto paused. "_Annnnnnd,_ anyone's supposed to be able to do them."

"Anyone," Suga asked, doubtfully.

Bokuto nodded. "Well, not all the time. Even people who are good at it only get them like a few times a week. Only true psychics get them a lot. But, everyone who has magic is supposed to be able to pull one off at least once." His grin was slowly getting wider. "And, _that's_ my plan! All I've gotta do is make sure that my one big latent divination is this year and Okinobe has to pass me!"

Kuroo narrowed his eyes. "And you didn't try this last year _or _the year before because…"

Bokuto blushed. "Um, I did."

"Just checking," Kuroo said with a nod. "Yep, you should definitely take Astronomy."

"Ha!" He grinned. "Jokes on you, I'm taking that, too! And just watch this is totally going to work and then you're going to be blown away by my brilliant psychic knowledge!"

Suga looked slightly pained. "Good luck, then."

"Thanks!" Bokuto's eyes lit up at someone by the doorway. "Oh, Akaashi! I gotta go talk to him about Quidditch practice!"

The rest waited until Bokuto was definitely out of ear shot.

"Well," Suga said awkwardly. "Maybe it'll work."

No one looked that hopefully.

Suga moved on. "Any other electives? I added Runes!"

"Astronomy, Dueling, and Magical Creatures," Iwaizumi ticked off before jerking his thumb at Oikawa. "And _he _still isn't telling me anything except he dropped Magical Creatures."

"Because I knew you'd try to talk me out of it," Oikawa said pleasantly. "Now that we're here, there's no need. I'm taking Dueling, Runes, and…..Arithmancy."

Iwaizumi glared. "Idiot."

"Isn't Arthimacy's notorious for being so hard only one student passes it a year," Kuroo asked idly. "No one's made it passed fifth year to NEWTs in a decade."

"That's what makes it fun!" Oikawa chirped.

Iwaizumi sighed, long suffering.

"I agree," Kuroo grinned, all sharp angles. "That's why I'm taking it, too."

Oikawa rubbed his hands together. "And so the competition continues."

Iwaizumi looked at Suga. "I take it back, all of them are idiots."

Suga laughed.

ooooooo

"Hinata," Professor Takeda smiled up at him from his desk. "Come in. There's scones on the table if you want any."

Hinata shook his head, sitting nervously in the the plush visitor chair. "I got an owl saying you wanted to see me. Um, if this is about the rules I broke, could you….tell me which time because I'm kind of lost?"

Takeda frowned. "You're not in trouble. And what times?"

"Oh...never mind ," Hinata said quickly. "What did you want to talk about?"

Takeda sighed but luckily moved on. "It's a progress meeting. Heads of Houses try to set them sometime in third and fifth year to talk about your plans."

"Plans?"

"What you're thinking about doing after Hogwarts," Takeda waved his wand and a file appeared in front of him. "Not that you have to know now, of course. But since third is the first year you start electives, it's nice to know your options."

"Like jobs," Hinata asked.

"Or just general directions of interest," Takeda said, looking down at the file. "Your Defense grades are especially strong and I see you signed up for basic dueling, would you like to learn more about Auror requirements."

Hinata scrunched up his nose. "Nah, I just signed up for Dueling 'cause Kageyama did. I don't want to fight for real."

_If I have a choice, _whispered a voice in the back of his mind that sounded suspiciously like Oikawa.

Luckily, Takeda moved on.

"Your Transfiguration and Potions grades are fairly good, too" he said before pausing. "I don't suppose you're interested in getting a mastery in a field?"

"Ugh, more homework?" Hinata frowned.

Takeda bit down on a smile. "An inevitable inclusion, yes."

"No, thanks."

"Well," Takeda said with soft, kind eyes, "you can always consider teaching."

That one at least warranted a pause.

"Maybe," Hinata said eventually. It wasn't terrible like the other two, it was just….weird. Like too big shoes. Teaching was for people like Takeda and Suga. Honestly, the idea of any job where Hinata would have to sit in some boring office and do the same thing over and over sounded awful.

He shrugged. "I don't think I know what I want to do."

Takeda kept the gentle smile that always felt warm. "That's alright, Hinata. You don't have to; you're only in your third year. That's not what these meetings are about. All I'm asking is you start thinking. For your future."

Hinata nodded, oddly subdued even as Takeda excused him from the office, offering him one last scone before he left.

Finally, he reached a conclusion

The future was kind of a scary word.

ooooooo

"You know if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were spying on me."

"And if I was," Suga asked archly.

Daichi winked. "Then this is certainly the most devious way a Slytherin's tried to steal our Quidditch secrets that I've ever heard of."

Suga laughed, loud and bright while Daichi's heart beat a little bit faster in a way that had nothing to do with his Quidditch workout.

"I was surprised to see you." Suga leaned against the wall of the broom shed, barely a hand-width away from Daichi. "I thought you normally spent your free period checking up on your crows."

Daichi groaned. "They're not _my _crows."

"Denial." Suga shook his head sadly.

"Probably. Anyway, no need to check up on them for a bit. Noya and Tanaka don't have anything planned for once."

Suga raised an eyebrow. "How long do you think that'll last?"

"If I'm lucky? A week," he admitted ruefully.

"Maybe they just need a safer distraction," Suga suggested.

An idea flickered in the corner of Daichi's mind that was two part good intentions, one part payback for last year's matchmaking, and entirely guaranteed to be somewhat distracting for at least some of the year.

"I think I might actually have something," Daichi said.

"Already? What is it?"

Daichi smiled. "I'll tell you if it works."

"Secretive," Suga accused but he was smiling back. "I take it this new distraction' going to take up some of your time as well?"

Daichi leaned down and kissed him-light, sweet, entirely perfect, and leaning back just enough to still meet his eyes. "I think I can find some free time."

ooooooo

Around the room, the sparse dozen or so students were sitting in tense, expectant silence, eyes all focused on the board.

Near the back of the room, Oikawa inspected his nails with feigned ease. "Not too late to back out, you know?"

Kuroo grinned, slouching in his chair. "I'll try to remind you that after the first class."

"Oh, I'm _definitely _not backing out before you do."

"Hmm, then, I guess neither of us are backing out."

"Guess so," Oikawa said, smiling sharply in a way that Kuroo answered in equal measure.

The door to the classroom hit the wall, causing at least half of the students to jump as Professor Yamiji strode in.

He gave one glance to the room. "I see most of you are early. Good. This is not the class where any of you can afford slacking off." He waved his wand and a complicated series of equations began writing themselves on the board. "I know some of you have heard that this class is challenging, that only a small number of students pass it a year, and even _less _I allow to continue on to NEWT level. All of these are true statements."

He paused to let that sink in. "A few on the school's board have asked _why _I make this class so difficult, suggested I make it easier so students have a higher pass rate on paper. I will tell you the exact answer I told them. I make this class hard because hard is exactly what an Arithmancy class should be. High standards are set so that when you leave this class, you will have a basic knowledge of Arithmancy that could never be achieved if I watered down the class so some pompous board member can pat himself on the back for higher numbers."

"Numbers mean things," he said slowly. "In this class, you will learn that numbers can manage even the most obscure branches of magic. The exact force of magic behind a charm, the conservation of mass in transfiguration, even the statistical navigation of divination. All of these can be understood through Arithmancy." He pauses again, frowning heavily. "What numbers can also tell you is the time. Such as the time to be in class _two minutes ago!_"

All eyes turned to the door where a single figure stood, breathing heavily with book held haphazardly in his arms.

Oikawa's eyes widened. "Oh, Merlin."

"Sorry." Bokuto smiled widely. "Long walk from the divination tower. Did I miss anything?"

Professor Yamiji glared, wordlessly pointing him toward the seats.

Bokuto fell into the seat next to Oikawa and Kuroo.

Oikawa waited until Yamiji turned his back before leaning over to whisper, "What are you doing here?"

Bokuto blinked. "I'm taking this class?"

In the front of the room, Professor Yamiji was elucidating the many, _many _ways students could fail.

"Merlin, why?" Kuroo asked, looking as horrified as if Bokuto had just announced his plan to jump off the astronomy tower and onto a quidditch broom. Actually, scratch that, he was significantly _more _terrified now than when Bokuto actually had done that.

"Professor Yamiji's going to kill you," Kuroo moaned.

As if on cue, Yamiji turned back to the class, narrowing his eyes specifically at Bokuto as the teen pulled out a half eaten muffin from his bag.

"Arthimacy's supposed to help in divination," Bokuto said once Yamiji had turned back. He wiggled his eyebrows with a grin. "And, hey, I _predict _that it's going to be fine."

Oikawa's head hit the desk with an almost inaudible thunk. "You're dead. We're all dead. I might as well fill out my will and testimony now. I'm giving everything to Suga."

"_Mr. Oikawa, pay attention!_"

Oikawa's head shot back up.

Bokuto patted his back in comfort. "Don't worry, it's just math. I'm good at math, my mom taught me and Akaashi."

Kuroo didn't think there was a particular polite way to explain that had been at least five years ago and far, _far _simpler.

Bokuto was _smart, _Kuroo would jinx anyone who said otherwise, it was just….well, with the exception of Divination, Bokuto's philosophy had always been classes were a distraction to his first love of quidditch.

"Dooomed," Oikawa moaned.

"And _that's _a prediction," Kuroo said.

ooooooo

Across the castle, the room full of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff third years were also waiting

"Do you think he got lost," Inuoka asked from the table behind Yachi.

"How could he get lost," Himekawa said back. "It's been in the same classroom for like a century."

"Should we go find him," Yamaguchi leaned over and whispered to Yachi.

Yachi frowned, almost answering before Kageyama spoke up.

"Wait, isn't there a rule that if he doesn't show up in ten minutes, we get to leave?"

"It's fifteen minutes," Kuribayashi insisted softly.

"No, it's a myth," Obara said with a huff. "And, come on, it's not like the guy's going to miss his first lesson."

"Well, he's not here," Shibayama pointed out.

"Oh, isn't he," a voice called from the door just before Professor Rezei strode in, throwing a wink at the class. "Sorry, sorry, wanted to make sure I secured our special guest star before class today."

Matsushima perked up. "Someone else is coming?"

"They're already here," Rezei corrected, waving his wand as a pocket size box folded out to the size of a shoe box. "I guess 'guest' star is a bit misleading. After all, this little guy's been at Hogwarts his whole life."

Without any more warning, Rezei pulled the lid off the box and carefully lowered a hand in before turning back to the students. "I ask that no one make any sudden moves or sounds."

The class nodded in anticipation.

Slowly, Rezei brought out his hand.

Beside Yachi, Yamaguchi took a sharp intake of breath while Hinata leaned forward curiously.

"Merlin," she heard Inuoka whisper.

Rezei smiled. "Now, can anyone tell me what this creature is?"

"That's a bloody acromantula," Himekawa said, moving far back in his chair. "It has a five X Ministry classification, a known wizard killer."

If possible, the class tensed even further.

"He, actually, not it." Rezei laughed, running a finger along the spider's back where he sat docile in the professor's hand. "Let's not offend him, now. But, yes, correct. Five points to Gryffindor. Acromantulas are incredibly venomous which is why Professor Takinoue and I took great care to milk out this guy's venom before class. Still, no sudden moves though. Bites still hurt and more importantly, you'll scare him."

Yamaguchi laughed slightly.

Rezei quirked an eyebrow at him, good natured. "Something funny?"

"Oh no," he said, "not scarring an acromantula just sounds like something a friend of mine would say."

"Smart friend," Rezei commented before turning to the rest of the class. "And that actually brings us to our first lesson of the day. Situational awareness. Take for example, acromantulas. Acromantula's are smart creatures, old, even somewhat regal in how they make their colony structures. Older ones are reported to have the same communication and planning skills as most wizards, to say nothing of their strategy skills in hunting down food. A marked acromantula territory, like the one in the Forbidden Forest, can be inhabited for centuries and often exist peacefully even with places like Hogwarts a stone's throw away."

The acromantula watched the class, almost speculatively.

"The key is separation," Rezei continued. "They're fiercely protective. Trespass into their territory and they will likely kill you as a warning to others." He looked down at the acromantula in his hand. "Which is why this little guy is going right back to the acromantula den we negotiated his visit with."

Carefully, he lowered the acromantula back into the container. "Encroach on another's space, pose enough of a threat, and the results can be deadly." He smiled again. "Which is why we must always stay aware of what our actions mean."

He pauses for a second before clapping, moving again to the front of the room. "Now, let's move on to our more hands on part of the lesson. Who can tell me what the incantation is for a Smokescreen spell?"

Kuribayashi raises her hand. "Fumos?"

"Excellent! Five points to Hufflepuff. Now, everyone to the front in pairs! I'll set up shields because these can get rather messy."

The rest of the class was spent practicing wand movements and incantations as different sectors of the room were slowly obscured by different brightly colored smoke plumes.

Across from her, Yamaguchi looked pleased to see a dark plume of dark blue start fanning out from his wand as Rezei drifted around, correcting students movements.

Yachi, meanwhile, was struggling to get more than a wisp of pale blue even as sweat starting running down her temple.

An hour later, Rezei finally dismissed class and Yachi swayed slightly on her feet before Kageyama was there beside her, steadying her as Hinata gave her a worried look.

Around them, the rest of the students started drifting out of the classroom.

Professor Rezei came up beside them. "_Aqua Eructo Minor."_

A cool stream of water flowed elegantly into a freshly conjured glass that Rezei handed it to her.

"Just a bit of magical fatigue," he reassured. "Happens to the best of us some days. Water should help."

Yachi slowly sipped the water, feeling slightly more steady, as Kageyama and Hinata hovered beside them.

"You're free to stay here until you recover, of course. I can write you a tardy slip for your next class," Rezei offered and Yachi nodded, gesturing Hinata and Kageyama to go on before they were any later.

They went, reluctant as ever and promising to find her after class.

Yachi bit back a smile. Sometimes it was still hard to believe she had friends that cared.

"I'm sorry for the imposition," she apologized once they were gone.

Rezei looked up from where he was sorting papers on his desk. "Absolutely, no imposition at all. Like I said, happens to the best of us."

Yachi shifted uncomfortably. "I just don't think I'm very powerful."

Rezei frowned. "Let's not assume the worst. Some spells affect people differently, everyone has their Gordian knot eventually."

"It's okay" Yachi shrugged, speaking softly. "You don't have to reassure me. I know I'm not as powerful as some of the others. It's just how it is."

Rezei didn't say anything, instead turning back down to the desk, and Yachi fought back against a small sigh of relief. She'd accepted that she didn't have strong magic years ago. It was just a truth. Some people were weaker, some were stronger. Not something to be upset by.

But, just because she'd accepted it, didn't mean she liked to talk about it. It always stung worse when people tried to form half-hearted denials and reassurances for something they both knew was true.

Silence was better.

Unfortunately, it didn't seem to last.

"You know..." Rezei began slowly and Yachi felt herself tense, "your aunt wasn't a very powerful witch either. Now, that I think back."

That was...that was not what Yachi expected. And, honestly, not sure if that made things better or worse. But, it was _new. _Not about her dad, but still a fact about the lost sister her mom never talked about either.

"Really?"

Rezei nodded. "K-Kirika used to be so self conscious about it. Especially in first year when she kept struggling with the Levitation Charm. She got better, of course. But even when she graduated, Kirika still was always one of the least powerful of the class. Not that anyone dared say it to her face."

"Why not," Yachi asked, taking another sip of water.

Rezei winked. "Cause it's generally not a good idea to annoy the school's top dueler."

He stopped, smiling slightly at Yachi's obvious confusion before continuing. "She wasn't powerful. But, she was _smart. _So dedicated to finding all the different ways spells could work that her opponents never knew which way she would hit them." His smile softened. "It's...it's such a shame you never got to know her."

There was a heaviness in the air, pressing down and almost getting Yachi to speak before Rezei shook his head and the weight was gone. "Anyway, don't count yourself out. It's not always the power you put behind a spell but how you use it. After all, in the story with Gordian Knot, the great wizard Alexander didn't try thinking up a complicated spell to untangle it, he used a Slicing Charm."

Yachi smiled because she didn't quite know what to say. "Thank you."

"Of course," Rezei said warmly. "Feeling better?"

"Yes, sir."

Actually, Yachi felt better than she had in a while and she was fairly sure it wasn't just the recovery from magical fatigue.

ooooooo

Admittedly, alone in the Forbidden Forest isn't exactly where Yamaguchi preferred to spend his free time. Especially after a lesson on acromantula.

But, also, he _did _need to collect more alihosty roots by the next Potions class and there was no way he was going to force Tsukishima to come with him when it wasn't even that deep in the forest. Really, it would be fine. The sun hadn't even set and it's not like he was going to the restricted parts of the forest or anything.

He heard a branch snap and he shuddered, reminding himself that he had faced much worse things than a well-lit forest. He just needed to remember that.

He took another breath and leaned down to examine under the tree. Not alihosty, but some aconite which might be helpful later.

Another branch snapped and Yamaguchi felt goosebumps raise on his arm.

He was fine. He was still...well, actually, he probably was getting close to the border of the restricted section. And...and it did feel darker here.

He steeled himself. It was okay. This was fine.

There was the sound of rustling branches and...it almost sounded like something was moving. Something _big_.

It's okay. He just needed to find some alihosty then he'd leave and be back in the safe, warm Gryffindor tower and this would all be done and over with. Just remember, he'd gotten through things more terrifying then-

Actually, no, scratch that. It was definitely not helping to think of _more _things that terrified him.

A branch snapped. Closer.

There was definitely something here with him.

Yamaguchi careful pushed back up to his feet, wand out in front of him.

The forest had grown still around him.

So quiet that he could hear his heartbeat echoing in his ears.

Then, the sound of something big rustling around trees came from the shadows barely a meter beside him.

_Don't run, _Noya's voice sounded in the back of his head. _Move slowly so they don't see you as a threat._

That sounded a lot easier when he wasn't in the middle of a forest next to _who knows what_!

The creature shifted in the shadows and Yamaguchi still didn't have any idea what it was or how big it could be but at least it seemed to like the dark.

Maybe...maybe he could get it to leave. A _Lumos, _just a small one to get it far enough away he could make a break for it. Or...or at least, find out what it was.

His hand tightened on his wand and he took a second to really, really hope this was a good idea.

"_Lumos!"_

Light shone into the shadows.

The creature flinched back, head turning away.

Yamaguchi froze and then screamed, dropping his wand and the light extinguished.

From the darkness, the basilisk hissed.

ooooooo

A/N: So, so sorry this is so late, guys. Real life had me swamped with my thesis defense and coordinating a move. I really should be able to get back to the normal weekly schedule after I get passed the work of next week. Thank you, everyone, for your continued patience and support.

Next chapter: Deepest Fears


	3. Deepest Fears

"_Protego!"_

Purple sparks hit off a blue shield.

Oikawa dropped the shield, just in time for Iwaizumi to come up behind.

"_Orbis."_

Kuroo and Daishou dodged to separate sides as a swirling hole opened up in the middle of the dueling mats.

Oikawa beamed at them just as Daishou glared, firing back. "_Langlock!"_

A colorless force of air hit against Oikawa, too hard to see to dodge in time.

Oikawa felt his tongue stick to the top of his mouth and he fought back rolling his eyes. See, this is why learning wandless or wordless magic is a good idea.

Iwaizumi got knocked to the ground by Kuroo's Ventus Jinx before he could hit Oikawa with the counter-jinx.

Still unable to talk, Oikawa held up his hands in surrender. Across the room, monitoring a still continuing duel from the newer members, Captain Ishida waved his wand as green sparks shot up over Oikawa's head, signaling the end of the duel.

Kuroo grinned, going to help Iwaizumi up while Daishou went to Oikawa.

"You know," Daishou said with a smirk, "I think I like you better like this. Sure you don't want me to just leave it?"

Oikawa gave him an unimpressed look, pointing to his mouth and then to Daishou's wand.

"What was that? Can't hear you?"

Oikawa held up a single finger in answer.

Daishou rolled his eyes. "Ah, yes, well glad to see you can still be annoying even without words."

He muttered the counter jinx with obvious reluctance.

"_Pullus," _Oikawa said, wand pointing at something right behind Daishou.

Just outside of the mats, Daishou's bag suddenly sprouted feathers, letting out a strange honking sound, as it turned into a chicken.

Daishou glared. "Cute."

"I try." Oikawa smiled back.

Daishou turned to go catch his bag while Kuroo and Iwaizumi came up to Oikawa.

"So, library at nine tonight for trying out the you-know-what," Kuroo asked, careful to keep his voice low.

Oikawa perked up. "Definitely."

"Is the library really private enough," Iwaizumi questioned. "I mean it is technically illegal that four of us know about this."

Kuroo waved it off. "It's fine. We'll put up some security charms. All good."

Daishou came back, carrying his once again bag-shaped bag. "What are you three whispering about?"

"Very important things," Kuroo answered flatly.

"Oh, I'm sure," Daishou said in a tone that implied just the opposite. He turned to Oikawa. "Whatever you're doing, just try not to get petrified again, will you? Unfortunately, I need you three for dueling."

With that, Daishou turned away with one last condescending look.

Iwaizumi watched him go. "Believe it or not, he actually was worried about you last year."

"I choose not," Oikawa said, cheerfully. "You sure you didn't hallucinate it?"

Iwaizumi shrugged.

"Come on, guys, better things to discuss than Daishou," Kuroo slung his arms around them. "After all, we've got a time turner to figure out."

ooooooo

"Hey, Akaashi, do you ever think about the future?"

The look that Akaashi gave him was so utterly deadpan that Hinata winced.

"Okay, sorry, not like _that, _not like," Hinata glanced around at the fairly empty Great Hall, "you know, _your visions. _I mean like jobs and like planning and all the adult stuff after Hogwarts."

Akaashi sighed wearily, expression going blank. "I'm not telling you your future, Hinata."

"I'm not asking you because of that! I promise!"

Akaashi shot him another look.

"Well, maybe a little," Hinata admitted, "but mostly it's cause you're like one of the most responsible people I know and Takeda told me I needed to start thinking about my future but I don't even know how!"

Akaashi blinked before his expression melted into something a lot less on edge. "Oh, you had your first career counseling then?"

"Yep and it was terrifying," Hinata said adamantly.

"You know you don't actually have to know anything now, right," Akaashi said. "You can take you time."

"But, I _want_ to know right now," Hinata said. "So, I can be ready."

"Hinata," Akaashi said softly, "no one can ever fully prepare for the future. Trust me."

Hinata frowned.

Akaashi shrugged, turning back to his book. "The best you can do is try to do the things you enjoy as much as you can."

ooooooo

Tsukishima fidgeted in his seat, looking around the Gryffindor common room. "Yamaguchi should have been back by now."

"Didn't you say he was going to the Forest," Asahi asked, directing a quick panicked glance out the window to slowly darkening skies.

"I'm sure he's fine." Noya grinned. "Besides, the Forest is cool. He probably just got distracted. There's centaurs and griffins and, oh, thestrals! Thestrals are _awesome!_"

"How would he even know if he ran into a thestral," Tsukishima huffed. "They're invisible."

Noya shrugged, already distracted by looking for Ennoshita. "Not for everyone. There's a herd that lives over by the west side of the castle. I put them on the map last year."

Tsukishima opened his mouth and was halfway to asking _how _when Tanaka interrupted.

"Man, when's Ennoshita going to get here?"

"Looks like now," Daichi said, just as the common room door swung open revealing a slightly exasperated Ennoshita with a younger boy trailing after him.

"Sorry, I'm late," Ennoshita said as way of greeting. "I had to stop _someone _from sneaking into the Headmaster's office."

The younger boy shuffled on his feet but managed a weak glare. "I had to talk to the Sorting Hat."

"No, you didn't," Ennoshita rolled his eyes before turning to the group. "Guys, meet my little cousin Nao. Nao, meet your new upperclassmen. Please, do my sanity a favor and avoid Noya and Tanaka."

"Hey!" Noya protested. "We're _great _upperclassmen!"

"Yeah," Tanaka said, shooting up and sticking out his hand at Nao, "and looks like you're taking after us already if you tried to break into Headmaster Ukai's office the first week. I like you already, kid!"

"Thanks," Nao took the hand and offered a small smile.

Ennoshita groaned, turning to Asahi. "I hate this. I hate this so much already. Ugh, why didn't I just let him break in and try to get thrown into Hufflepuff."

Asahi patted his back sympathetically. "At least there's no dragon."

Nao's eyes widened. "You guys had a _dragon_!"

"A story for another time, young pupil," Noya answered, slinging an arm around Nao's shoulders and grinning slightly upon realizing he was in fact _taller _than the eleven year old. "More important question. Why would you want to end up in Hufflepuff when you obviously already got the coolest House in the history of awesome Houses."

"Definitely not the most modest," Tsukishima muttered.

"I don't think Slytherin gets to talk," Tanaka returned, earning a self-satisfied shrug from Tsukishima.

Nao shifted on his feet again, casting a glance to Ennoshita.

Surprisingly, Ennoshita nodded, smiling serenely. "Oh no, go ahead and tell them. Trust me, I have a feeling that this is going to be the highlight of my night."

Nao tuned back to Noya and Tanaka with wide eyes. "I wanted to be in Hufflepuff because…"

"Just say it, our student," Tanaka said sagely, "anything you'd want, I can promise you that Gryffindor can do it better."

Nao still hesitated.

"Go on," Noya urged.

Nao took a breath. "It's because Hufflepuff's got the greatest Quidditch players like _ever_!"

What followed was a moment of stunned silence where both Noya and Tanaka's mouths dropped open before Tsukishima let out a loud, echoing laugh.

"Oh Merlin," Tsukishima choked out, still laughing, "you were right, this is the best moment of _my year_!"

"But…," Noya stuttered, "...Hufflepuff...and….Quidditch...and what about _us!_"

Ennoshita shook his head. "I told you not to ask."

"Wait, is this because they won the House Cup last year," Tanaka asked frantically, "because we _totally _going to get it this year!"

Nao opened his mouth to respond before Ennoshita stopped him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Allow me to explain. Nao is my cousin on my _father's _side, the formerly unmagical side of my family. In other words…"

"I'm a muggleborn." Nao shrugged. "Not like it matters. Aunt Tamiko always lets me listen to the Quidditch games ever since I accidentally made the cabbage stew turn invisible at Christmas dinner."

"So," Ennoshita continued, "when he found out there was a muggleborn player on Hufflepuff's Quidditch team…"

"It's not just that he's a muggleborn, Chikara," Nao protested, "it's that he's _amazing! _Do you remember that dive he pulled off in the Slytherin game last year!? It was incredible, basically straight down!"

Ennoshita rolled his eyes again. "As you've told me. Again and again. Nevermind only one of us was actually _at _the game."

Nao grinned. "Well, I will be this year so ha!"

"Wait, wait," Tanaka threw up his hands, "a muggleborn on the Hufflepuff team...so your favorite Quidditch player is…._Hinata?!_"

Nao nodded excitedly. "He's the best! I'm gonna be just like him someday, watch!"

Tsukishima, who it seemed had just calmed down from the last fit of laughing, started up again.

"Merlin, that might even be worse than Noya and Tanaka," Daichi said under his breath.

"_Nothing's _worse than Noya and Tanaka," Ennoshita responded.

"Yeah, but Hinata's…." Daichi tried to find the right words, "unusually gifted at finding trouble."

"I know!" Tanaka moaned. "I can't believe we lost our future pupil to Hinata!"

"Wait!" Nao frowned, looking up at the others, "Chikara, you _know_ him!"

"No," Ennoshita said quickly, already hustling Nao to the first year dorms, "just had one really interesting, er, _endeavor _that he might have been a part of. It's a boring story, now go talk to your roommates and stop trying to run off to Hufflepuff."

"Chikara," Nao whined.

"I mean it," Ennoshita ordered, "don't think I won't owl Aunt Norita."

Nao huffed, but obediently left.

"Well, that's definitely going to be a headache for later," Ennoshita muttered, turning back to the group. "By the way, where's Yamaguchi?"

Tsukishima frowned, earlier amusement wiped away. "We don't know. He should have been back at least an hour ago."

"Is he on the map," Ennoshita asked.

Noya pulled it out, shaking his head. "Nope, we haven't mapped that far into the Forest yet."

Asahi shivered, tugging nervously at his sleeves. "What if he got lost or slipped and twisted his ankle or-"

Tsukishima hand landed across his mouth. "Stop that."

Daichi glanced at the window. "It's getting dark soon. I suppose….I suppose it wouldn't hurt anything to go find him. Just in case."

The rest of the group responded with a quickness that spoke to relief.

Noya shrugged. "Maybe we're lucky and Yamaguchi found something cool!"

ooooooo

"Hinata! Kageyama! Come on, it's getting dark!"

Hinata laughed, swooping into a dive and waiting for that exhilarating moment where the Quaffle landed in his hands so perfectly it felt like magic.

One...Two..._Now!_

Hinata pulled up, Quaffle in hand and threw it through the unmanned hoops.

"Five more minutes," he heard Kageyama shout back to Yachi.

Five more minutes….Hinata bet they could talk Yachi into another ten.

By her slightly amused huff, summoning the practice Quaffle and throwing it up to Kageyama, Yachi had already realized the same.

Kageyama met eyes with Hinata and nodded and then Hinata was shooting to the other side of the field as fast as he could will his broom to go.

There was a unique feeling that can only be found on a speeding broom. The wind rushed by his ears, silencing the whole world around him, until the only things that felt tangible were the broom under his hands and the vague sense of Kageyama holding the Quaffle behind him.

It was not a peaceful feeling. If anything, it was the furthest feeling from peace; but, that wasn't a bad thing. It was fast and constantly a hairbreadth away from serious danger. So, no, it was not exactly peaceful; but, it was...something like home.

Hinata didn't like to think about the past. Not his past, anyway. At the orphanage, there never seemed any point since so few knew anything about where they'd come from. At Hogwarts, well, it just never seemed important. It wasn't like he had some terrible childhood. Maybe a bit dull. Maybe a bit lonely, always being the "strange" kid from even before he knew why. But...well, it wasn't too bad. He still had friends, Izumi and Sekimukai. He had Natsu, a tiny piece of family they'd made for themselves and that was always more than enough.

Maybe, that was the best way to describe the orphanage. It was enough. Not great, not terrible, just enough.

Hogwarts was….not just enough.

It was like...like some great gift that someone gave Hinata on a whim and he's still not sure who to thank for it.

Hinata didn't think about his past, but he did think about his present. He thought that he was no longer just the "strange" kid in the orphanage. Now, he had Kageyama and Yachi and Bokuto and Suga and Akaashi and Oikawa...and everyone, everyone that he didn't have three years ago that now just fall into his life as if they've always been there.

He had magic.

He had _Quidditch._

And everything was just…

The Quaffle landed in his hands as if it was always meant to be there.

_There._

And for a second, Hinata felt invincible.

"Guys!" Yachi called again. "Hurry up, we still have homework!"

Reluctantly, Hinata and Kageyama both landed, going without protest as Yachi pointed them to the changing room.

Almost changed, Hinata was still thinking to himself when Kageyama poked him in the ribs.

"Ow!"

"You're quiet," Kageyama accused with narrowed eyes. "You're never quiet."

"I was thinking," Hinata protested.

"You never think."

"Rude, Bakayama!" Hinata stuck out his tongue.

Kageyama waited a beat. "...so, what are you thinking about?"

Hinata shrugged. "Nothing."

"Ha, I knew it!"

Hinata elbowed him in the ribs right back. "Not like nothing-nothing. Just...hey, have you had to meet with Professor Takeda yet?"

"Talking about jobs and what we want to do and stuff? Yeah, he called me in yesterday."

Hinata paused in putting on his shoe. "What do you want to do?"

For a second, Hinata felt like he's right back on his broom. Where the moment is not peaceful, but fast and dangerous and what feels like the most important answer in the world.

Kageyama frowned. "I don't know. What about you? What do you want?"

_This, _Hinata thought and then, because he's never had that much in the way of a filter, he says the same out loud.

"This?" Kageyama looked around skeptically at the changing room, frown deepening.

Hinata huffed, exasperated. "Not the changing room. Just this, you know _this_!"

He waved a hand through the air in a way he thought was encapsulating enough.

Kageyama hesitated. "You mean Quidditch? You want to play Quidditch?"

"_Yes,_" Hinata agreed because yeah, Quidditch was definitely part of it if not entirely what he meant.

Kageyama was quiet, which really wasn't all that unusual so Hinata ignored it and went back to putting on his shoes.

"I like Quidditch, too," Kageyama said abruptly with the manner of someone having a great realization.

Hinata nodded, not really bothering to look up. Duh, Quidditch was awesome. Of course, Kageyama liked it. Hinata wasn't dumb enough to be a Chaser with Kageyama for three years and think he _didn't _like Quidditch.

When he did glance up, Kageyama looked frustrated.

"No, I mean…," Kageyama stopped, roughly ran a hand through his hair and tried again. "You want to play Quidditch and I want to play Quidditch. Want to...play Quidditch together? Like forever?"

Hinata blinked, stared at him for a long second, and then, finally, he smiled.

The future didn't seem quite as scary anymore.

ooooooo

"Security charms set," Kuroo asked.

"As ready as they'll ever be," Oikawa said, casting a quick check to see the area surrounding the table turn a pale blue. "Silencing Charms, Notice Me Not Charms, everything short of a freaking invisibility cloak."

Suga shifted in his seat. "Isn't doing this in the middle of the library a little….public?"

"That's what I said. But...not like we have much choice." Iwaizumi shrugged. "Unless we wanted to try it in the dorms and hope our roommates aren't there."

Oikawa shuddered. "Please, let's agree _never _to let Matsu and Makki anywhere near a time turner. They're already planning _something _big, I can just tell."

"Come on, let's see it," Bokuto said, bouncing excitedly in his chair.

Kuroo rolled his eyes, pulling out the slight golden device from his bag and laying it on the table.

Suga read the inscription on the side. "'My use and valued, unto you, Are gauged by what you have to do.'" He sighed. "Just once I'd like a magical device that doesn't have an ominous riddle attached to it."

"Spoilsport." Oikawa winked before turning to Kuroo. "So, did the Ministry actually tell you anything about using it?"

Kuroo shrugged. "Just the basics. One turn for every hour. Don't go back over five hours. And don't make any contact with yourself or risk going insane and destroying the fabric of time and reality as we know it. You know. The usual."

Iwaizumi shook his head. "How did anyone in the Ministry think it was a good idea to give this to teenagers?"

"'Cause the Ministry's filled with idiots." Kuroo grinned. "Trust me, I've been to their parties."

Bokuto handed the time turner back to Kuroo. "Go on! Use it!"

"Technically, if you look at time linearly, I already have," Kuroo mused, ignoring Oikawa's groan. "Fine, how far back should I go? An hour?"

Suga nodded. "Since it's the first time."

Kuroo slipped the chain over his neck. "What time is it now?"

"Ten minutes to eight," Iwaizumi said, glancing at his watch.

Kuroo nodded, holding the time turner and giving one last look up at his friends. He smirked.

"Here goes nothing," he said and finally, he twisted the time turner.

The world around him dissolved into a confusing blur of colors and shapes that oddly reminded Kuroo of child's kaleidoscope. His ears pounded under a pressure despite the fact that everything around was eerily silent. For a second, Kuroo felt like he was going to throw up-which would be a decidedly terrible idea while traveling through time.

And then, he was back on solid ground.

He blinked, dots still clouding around his vision, and someone screamed.

His head jerked around to see a library assistant he vaguely recognized as a sixth year Ravenclaw, clutching her chest.

"Sorry, you surprised me," she let out a nervous laugh, "I could have sworn you weren't there a second ago."

Kuroo smiled in a way he hoped looked innocent.

Note to self, privacy charms do not time travel with you. Oops.

Curiosity then got the better of him and he looked around at the library of one hour ago...or rather now...now _again_. It didn't matter, it wasn't like it looked much different.

He checked his watch. Fifty-eight minutes until he had to get back.

He grinned. And he knew exactly how he was going to spend it.

ooooooo

Walking through the Forbidden Forest, Asahi had the horrible suspicion that this was not going to be a good night.

Daichi fell into step beside him and the feeling got worse.

"You know," Daichi said, keeping a careful eye on the others further ahead, "I don't think I ever got to properly _thank_ you guys for all of the _many _times you helped get me and Suga together. The many excruciatingly horrible times."

Asahi winced. Yep, definitely not a good night.

"To be fair," he tried to sound reasonable, "it _did _work out in the end."

"It did," Daichi agreed, "and what kind of friend would I be if I didn't return the favor?"

"...What?"

"I was just thinking that since we don't have one of Noya and Tanaka's plans to deal with yet, now, is as good a time as any to...address certain issues."

Asahi blinked. "Wait, are you using me as a distraction?"

"Definitely," Daichi said. "_And _because frankly, I'm a good enough friend to tell you that quiet pining is never going to get Noya's attention."

Asahi blushed. "I don't _want _his attention."

"So, what," Daichi asked. "You've had a crush on him for years and your plan is just to never tell him how you feel until we all graduate?"

"Actually, I think I can hide it our whole lives."

Daichi glared. "Speaking from experience, I can tell you that it' a lot better to actually be in a relationship with the guy you like rather than just _wanting _to be and never acting."

Asahi looked down, fiddling with his sleeves. "Not for me."

"Asahi-"

"No," he interrupted, glancing at the group to make sure they were far enough away, "Daichi, you _know _I can't."

"I know you're _scared_," Daichi corrected before sighing, his tone losing the edge and swapping to comfort, "Come on, it's _Noya. _Even if he doesn't feel the same way, worst that'll happen is it'll be awkward for a few days. You'll still be friends."

"That's not the worst that can happen and you know it," Asahi mumbled. "He could...he could find out and...he could _hate _me. He could never want to talk to me again and that would be terrible but...that still wouldn't be the absolutely worst thing that could happe_n._"

"He isn't-"

A rustling noise came from the trees and both of them stopped.

"This conversation isn't over," Daichi told him, raising his wand as Asahi did the same.

The distinct sound of branches snapping reached their ears as something came closer to the path until…

Yamaguchi burst through the trees in front of them, panting heavily with small scratches on his arms and face from the woods.

"Yamaguchi," Tsukishima yelled, all of the group converging around them. "_Where were you? _You missed dinner! Curfew's in-"

Yamaguchi grabbed his arms. "We need to get out of here! _Now!_"

Yamaguchi had already started pulling Tsukishima back down the path when Daichi laid an arm on his shoulder to stop him. "Wait! Yamaguchi, what's wrong? What happened?"

The younger boy stopped, shivering slightly as he cast nervous glances around the forest.

"There's a basilisk," he whispered. "I _saw _it. I saw it's eyes!"

The rest of the group froze.

"But," Ennoshita frowned, "if you saw its eyes, why aren't you…"

_Dead._

Yamaguchi shook his head. "I don't...I don't know. It was a basilisk. I saw it, I know I did. They were big yellow eyes and then...then, it was like I blacked out and the sun was going down and I couldn't see the basilisk anywhere so I started running."

"That doesn't sound like a basilisk," Tanaka said.

"Where did you see it," Noya asked, excitedly.

Yamaguchi shivered again, pointing back in the way he came. "Back there, maybe not even a minute away."

Noya started running.

_Towards _the direction Yamaguchi pointed.

Asahi nearly had a heart attack.

Daichi cursed. "Merlin, I'm going to _kill _him!"

And then, they were all running to catch him.

Branches hit at Asahi's face as he ran and, for once, he deeply regretted that Noya was the Gryffindor Seeker and literally trained to outpace the competition.

Around them, the forest got darker and more quiet in a way that Asahi couldn't help feel had nothing to do with the darkening sky.

He just barely stopped short of running into Noya's back, stopped right in front of him.

Ennoshita wasn't so lucky, slamming into Asahi. The taller boy steadied him before he could fall.

"Guys, look," Noya said in awe.

"Where," Tanaka asked. "I can't see anything?"

Asahi could. Barely five steps in front of them, tall and big and….unmistakably, a basilisk.

Luckily, it was turned away. They still had time to run.

"_Lumos," _Noya whispered, holding up his wand right at the creature

Nevermind, they were all going to die.

"Noya," Ennoshita nearly yelled, stepping forward to drag him away just as the basilisk turned, hissing and-

Asahi closed his eyes.

The hissing stopped as suddenly as it had started

Asahi kept his eyes closed and hoped fervently that the basilisk would maybe...just ignore them and go away. Or maybe Iwaizumi would come out of nowhere with a sword again. Either would work and were just as unfortunately unlikely.

And then, he felt something crawling up his leg that was distinctly _not _snake-like.

His eyes popped open just in time to see hundreds of spiders, crawling up his legs.

Beside him, Ennoshita screamed. "GET THEM OFF! GET THEM OFF ME!"

Tsukishima stepped forward, wand raised and…

The spiders disappeared in a wave of black smoke, reforming until…

A pile of failed test papers fell on the ground of the forest.

Everyone stared.

Something….Asahi was starting to get the feeling that something wasn't quite right in a way that had nothing to do with a disappearing basilisk.

"Wait? What?" Tanaka pushed to the front.

The papers dissolved once again into black smoke, twisting and turning again and…

Two Tanaka's stood in the forest, facing each other, one with the distinct gold badge of a Prefect.

The closest Tanaka blinked. "Oh..._oh, it's a-"_

"It's a bogart colony," Noya yelled excitedly, turning to the rest of the group with wide eyes. "Guys, great news! I know what our project is now! We're saving the bogarts!"

ooooooo

A/N: Sorry again that this one took so long. I am deeply grateful for everyone's patience and chapter updates should now be back to fairly normal (weekly). Hopefully, this chapter answers some questions and raises a few others. Next Chapter: Headaches


	4. Headaches

Kuroo was quite obviously trying his hardest not to pout.

Sparring him a brief glance over his book, Kenma rolled his eyes.

"I thought you'd be more impressed."

Kenma sat his book down. "You're just sitting in the library, why would I be impressed?"

"I'm sitting in the library because I _time-traveled_," Kuroo emphasized. "There's technically two of me now! In about five minutes, there'll be two of me _in this very library_! How is that not impressive?!"

Kenma frowned. "Isn't it a bit dangerous cutting it that close? Should you really be risking the fabric of time just to distract me from studying?"

"Ah, but you're _worth _threatening the fabric of time over," Kuroo said, throwing a flirtatious wink just to top it off.

Kenma rolled his eyes harder.

The distinct sound of Bokuto's laugh echoed from the library's entrance and Kuroo's eyes widened. "Oh, shit! Cover me!"

Kenma sighed but obediently shifted his bag to block Kuroo from view as he crawled under the table.

A few seconds later, a second-or first?-Kuroo strutted into the library, followed by Oikawa, Bokuto, Suga, and Iwaizumi. He caught Kenma staring at him and grinned, throwing him a wave. Kenma could almost see the gears of a stupid plan forming in his head.

The group disappeared around the corner and the original-second? Time travel was going to be complicated for specificity, Kenma could already tell-Kuroo ducked back from under the table.

"And there," Kuroo checked his watch, "only two minutes left and I will have officially completed my first time travel! Feel free to save the applause."

"By sitting in the library with me for an hour," Kenma commented dryly. "The most boring way to spend time travel I've ever heard of."

"Only cause you weren't impressed!"

Kenma hid a smile, turning back to his book. "I'm impressed you managed not to destroy the universe for almost an hour."

"See, progress." Kuroo grinned.

"Kenma!"

Kenma glanced up to see Hinata, Kageyama, Yachi, and Lev by the library entrance.

"And, that's also by cue to leave," Kuroo said, glancing at his watch. "Enjoy spending the evening with your friends who _didn't _time-travel back just to see you!"

"I'm sure it will be more interesting" Kenma deadpanned.

Kuroo mock gasped. "Rude!"

And then, he was leaving to hide in the shelves no doubt to make a dramatic entrance somewhere across the library.

Kenma gave a small cough that some who knew him well might mistake for a laugh.

"Aw, we missed Kuroo," Hinata said, slipping into the vacated seat. "What's his hurry?"

"Don't ask," Kenma answered as the rest of the group took their seats around the table.

"MERLIN! THAT WAS BLOODY AMAZING!" Bokuto's voice boomed over the entire library.

Kageyama raised an eyebrow at Kenma.

Kenma sighed. "It really was more mundane than you'd expect."

"Okay, okay, enough of the boring stuff," Lev elbowed Hinata. "Hinata and Kageyama are going to be Quidditch stars!"

Kenma looked at Hinata, who grinned. "We figured out what we want to do!"

Kenma paused, mentally running over the amount of injuries a professional Quidditch player got in the average year. It was, depressingly, still less than Hinata managed every school year.

"Congratulations," Kenma said. "...I don't really think Professor Takeda meant for you to _choose _a career yet."

Hinata shrugged. "Why wait? Beside, Yachi's helping us."

"My Dad really wanted to go pro." Yachi smiled shyly. "We still have a lot of his training books at the house."

"See, it's perfect," Hinata said. "Me and Kageyama go on and gets super amazing at Quidditch, then a scout sees us, and _BAM! _We get on a team and Yachi can be our manager!"

"Ah, I wanted to be the manager!" Lev pouted.

"You can own the team" Kageyama told him and Lev immediately brightened.

Kenma shook his head and resolutely decided not to say anything.

"Oh," Lev shouted. "And Kenma can be our mascot!"

Kenma looked up, narrowed his eyes at him, and _didn't say a word._

Lev shivered anyway. "Or not…"

Kenma made a mental note to thank Yaku next time he saw him. He really did have the best tips for Lev management.

He turned to Hinata. "If you end up going pro, I promise I'll be at every one of your games on the condition you never ask me to play."

Hinata beamed. "Deal! Besides, Kenma, I won't need to _ask _you to play. One day, you're going to see how absolutely awesome Quidditch is and want to play!"

Kenma grimaced.

"Maybe."

"It's the best idea ever," Hinata continued happily, "cause that way, we can all be together!"

Kenma's smile softened.

It's possible attending Quidditch games wouldn't be too terrible.

ooooooo

"No," Tsukishima said flatly. "_No, _no, no, and again, for all intents and purposes, _no._"

Noya wasn't listening, too busy approaching the boggarts still shaped like Tanaka. As he approached, the shape shifted, going back into dark smoke before it re-materialized into something small and green.

"Are those _brussel sprouts_," Ennoshita demanded incredulously.

"What? Oh, yeah," Noya said, leaning down to pick up the small vegetables with a fond look in his eyes. "I hate them. One second, though."

In his hands, the brussels sprout dissolved again until they were back to one abnormally large spider. Ennoshita shuddered.

"Aww, aren't they cute!" Noya scratched the spider's back. "I think they're still babies."

"No," Tsukishima repeated. "Whatever you're planning, we're not doing it! We specifically said we _didn't _want anything that would have us killed, maimed, or otherwise traumatized. This at least counts for two out of three."

Noya rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. Boggarts are harmless."

Tsukishima threw up his hands. "They literally _feed on fear_!"

"Well, yeah, but that's not their fault!"

Yamaguchi stepped in before Tsukishima could strangle Noya. "Um, Noya, maybe it would help if you explained how you want us to, er, 'save the boggarts'."

"And why," Ennoshita tacked on.

Noya blinked, looking down at the giant spider and back to the group like it was obvious. "'Cause they need it. Boggarts are one of the most persecuted creatures in the magical world-Merlin, the Ministry doesn't even list them as 'creatures'. All because they have a bit of weird diet and some of them might possibly turn into dementors."

"How is that not _enough_," Tsukishima huffed, looking ready to tear his hair out.

Noya waved his hand dismissively, the spider shaped boggart now crawling up his arm. "Relax, they only turn into dementors as a last resort if they aren't getting fed."

The rest of the group didn't look that comforted. Even Tanaka, for once, looked skeptical.

Noya frowned up at them, large pitiful eyes slightly diminished by the actual monster sitting on his shoulder.

Daichi sighed, rubbing at his temples. "Noya, maybe you should tell us a little bit more _about _boggarts since clearly you know more than us."

Noya beamed. "Sure!"

He shifted, grabbing the spider off his shoulder and holding it once again in his lap. "Alright, so boggarts are magical creatures, right? Well, except according to the Ministry department, but that's just because they're like _stupid _levels of prejudice and don't want the Control of Magical Creatures Department to have any say about them using dementors at Azkaban even though that's totally-"

"Bro, ah, might want to focus it a bit more," Tanaka interrupted.

"Right!" Noya nodded. "Okay, so, boggarts are magical creatures. They only form in areas of magic and generally try to stick to dark places; _but, _the important things is that like every magical creature they literally _need _magic to survive." He held up the spider. "They just happen to feed on it through fear."

"So...who's worst fear is a spider," Asahi asked cautiously, glancing around at the faces that all looked wary but not exactly outright terrified.

"Huh? Oh, probably no one's." Noya smiled down at the spider. "These little guys have fed enough for one night." At everyone's confused looks, Noya continued. "Boggarts don't shapeshift into people's _worst _fears. Well, not generally, at least. That would take like a crazy level of occlumency. They just stick on surface level and pick a form based on level of distress and whatever current thought they pick up that's uncomfortable."

He shrugged. "Spiders are basic. Lots of people are at least kind of scared of them so it's what they settled on for now."

Yamaguchi blinked. "Then, why the basilisk?"

"I don't know. Probably cause you were thinking about it beforehand." Noya paused. "Or could be cause of that and they wanted something more defensive."

"Defensive," Yamaguchi asked.

"The basilisk stare," Noya answered. "Boggarts can't copy another creatures abilities completely but they can at least mimic it a bit if they really need to. You probably scared them."

Tsukishima crossed his arms over his chest. "_He _scared _them_?"

Noya nodded. "Yep! It's their territory, after all. Boggarts are skittish. Too many wizards try to destroy them."

"Because they turn into _dementors_," Tsukishima muttered.

"They don't mean to!" Noya pouted, holding the spider protectively closer to his chest. "That's only when they can't get enough food! It's not like they _want _to!"

"Okay." Daichi stepped forward to forestall another argument from Tsukishima. "So, we know why you want to help them. But, Noya, exactly _what _do you think we can do here?"

Noya grinned. "We can come out here to check on them."

No one looked particularly thrilled with that idea.

"Noya," Daichi tried to start reasonably, "the boggarts...they've been doing fine so far in the forest, right?"

"Yeah, probably," He rubbed the spider's back affectionately. "Especially if they had enough in them to turn into a basilisk. Isn't that right, little guys?"

Daichi's eye twitched. "So, they don't really _need _our help, do they?"

"Well…," Noya trailed off, "I mean not _technically._"

"And they're not in any danger-"

"Boggarts are always in danger," Noya protested. "What if someone finds out about them and tries to get rid of them! People _always _try to get rid of boggarts!"

Yamaguchi elbowed Tsukishima before he could say anything.

"But, no one knows about them yet," Ennoshita said. "So, there not in danger. If anything, us being here gives more chance someone will notice them"

Daichi nodded, sending Ennoshita a grateful smile. "Exactly and we don't want to put them in danger, yeah?"

Noya reluctantly nodded.

"So, the very best plan is to _stay away _from the boggarts so we don't risk them getting discovered, right?"

The moment held in anticipatory silence while Noya looked down at the spider in his hands.

"But, what if someone discovers them anyway and tries to hurt them," Noya said finally.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes. "Not bloody likely. Trust me, except for _you_, everyone else has enough sense _not _to wander to the darkest parts of the Forbidden Forest. Definitely not to find boggarts."

Noya frowned, halfway to arguing before Daichi cut him off.

"How's this, Noya, if we have any reason to believe the boggarts _are _in danger, we'll help. But only then. If not, we're just going to let the boggarts mind their own business, okay?"

Noya paused. "You promise?"

Daichi exchanged looks with the rest of the group that looked borderline hopeful.

"We promise."

Noya sighed, reluctantly setting the spider back on the ground and watching as it dissolved into a number of twisting snakes. "...Okay."

The rest of the group relaxed, looking at Daichi with gratitude.

Daichi could have cheered.

And so marked the very first-and unfortunately, probably only-time he'd ever managed to talk Noya out of _any _of his insane almost felt too good to be true.

ooooooo

Days later, Akaashi's head hit the dining table with a very satisfying thunk.

Bokuto winced. "You sure you're okay?"

Behind Akaashi's eyes, flashes of visions passed too fast for him to process much less understand. It had been like this for days-possible futures going by at such a dizzying pace, it was disorienting. It wasn't normally that way. Usually, while there was always something, at least it was only one vision at a time. Now, it was like they were overlapping, twisting and changing even while they were still happening. It was confusing, almost nauseating, and felt like it was trying to drive him insane. Which it actually might have been.

Akaashi's head pounded and he sighed.

"I'll be fine, Bokuto."

He closed his eyes but Bokuto's skeptical silence was something he could feel instinctively without having to see. "Maybe you should just go to the Hospital Wing."

"I don't need the Hospital Wing," Akaashi said perhaps a bit too sharply. "It's not that bad anyway."

Annoying, yes. But, Akaashi was sure he'd find a way to deal. Of course, it would be even more helpful if he knew what was causing it.

"Or, what if you just back to your dorm for the day," Bokuto asked. "Oh! If you want I'll bring you some soup! Just like Mom does!"

Akaashi managed a smile. "You're still banned from Ravenclaw's tower."

"Meh, I can sneak in if you need it. I'm sure they can't _still _be mad."

Akaashi very much disagreed; but, that wasn't the point.

"I don't want to miss class," he said, finally picking his head off the table and grabbing some toast. "Not for a headache."

Bokuto pouted. "Akaashi, you're like one of the best, most responsible students ever. You can miss a class."

"I'm responsible because I don't miss class," Akaashi said lightly before purposely swapping subjects. "Speaking of, how are your classes going?"

Bokuto shrugged. "Fine. Astronomy's pretty cool and I get to partner with Iwaizumi so that's awesome. Aritmancy's...good, too."

Akaashi raised an eyebrow.

"Professor Yamiji said we weren't studying how to use it for divination until after winter break," Bokuto whined. "Ugh, Akaashi! That's so far away!"

Akaashi rolled his eyes. "And how is Divination?"

Bokuto brightened. "Great!"

"Really?"

"Well, er...okay maybe not great yet," Bokuto admitted. "But, almost great. I'm close this time! I can feel it! Last night, I even had a dream that I think was a vision!"

"What was it?"

Bokuto grinned. "Okay, it was a bit weird but that doesn't mean it's impossible, right? You and Kenma both quit school to become beekeepers!"

Akaashi starred. He opened his mouth then closed it and kept staring.

Finally, he responded. "Bokuto, Kenma is allergic to bees."

"Well, yeah," Bokuto floundered for a second, "maybe he was trying to get over it. Face his fears"

"That is in absolutely no way how allergies work." Akaashi hid a smile. "And either way, I am _not _quitting school. Beekeeping or no."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." Akaashi shook his head, wincing as it throbbed lightly. "I think your prediction's still need a bit of work."

Bokuto shrugged. "Everyone's gotta have one. I'll find it eventually."

At the Great Hall entrance, Akaashi saw Oikawa and Suga walk in, joined shortly after by Kuroo and Iwaizumi. Bokuto glanced over at them before landing back on Akaashi with an indecisive frown.

"Go," Akaashi told him with a small smile. "It's just a headache. I'll be fine."

"I'm checking back in on you at lunch," Bokuto told him. "Just...promise you'll go to the Hospital Wing if it gets worse?"

Akaashi nodded. "Now, go on and talk to them. You've been jittery all morning; I know you must have _something _going on."

"What?!" Bokuto immediately spluttered. "Nothing going on! Nope! Just school stuff. Normal school stuff. Boring stuff! Like, ah, like we always do."

Akaashi rolled his eyes again. "Go."

Bokuto smiled gratefully before running off. Akaashi watched him leave.

It was kind of strange. With the headaches, he could for the first time say that he had absolutely no idea what Bokuto was up to.

The feeling probably shouldn't make him as anxious as it did.

ooooooo

Bokuto practically fell down into his seat. "Okay, so when are we going to use the time turner again? Cause that was awesome"

Kuroo smirked, wagging his eyebrows. "Who says I haven't already?"

"What?! Oh, come on, no fair! Me next!"

"Want to use it tonight," Kuroo asked.

"Definitely!" Bokuto deflated. "Oh, wait, I've got Quidditch practice."

"It's a time turner." Oikawa shrugged. "The whole point is you can do both."

Bokuto immediately brightened.

Suga sighed. "Maybe, we should be a little more…cautious."

Bokuto, Kuroo, and Oikawa all stared at him.

"He means stop using it all the time like idiots," Iwaizumi translated.

"Ministry approved idiots," Oikawa reminded.

Iwaizumi glared.

"If the Ministry gave it to you as some kind of experiment, maybe that's how we should actually treat it," Suga suggested.

Bokuto frowned. "How?"

"Like keep a schedule of how much it's being used for one." Suga pulled out a notebook. "There's so little actually published about time turners. We have no idea how it works. What about sleep? Does it take you physically back to the state you were at or are you actually just making your day longer? How does the brain process that? What about multiple users? If you traveled back in time and then immediately gave the time turner to someone else, would they be able to use it or can it not be in used again at the same time someone's already traveled back? Would that mean multiples of it can all exst at a single point in time? What does that do to a time-space continuum? What if we accidentally destroy it from overuse?"

By the end, all of the group is staring at him with various expressions of bafflement.

Suga smiled. "I might've gotten a bit carried away on research."

"Okay…," Kuroo paused, processing through all of Suga's words, "a schedule might not be a terrible idea."

Oikawa hummed. "Personally I've never been that fond of the time-space continuum anyway. What's it ever done for me."

Iwaizumi elbowed him.

"Ow, joking!" Oikawa rubbed at his arm. "Fine, let's do a schedule and take notes."

Bokuto frowned, looking plaintively between Suga and Kuroo. "I can still try it tonight though, right?"

Kuroo joined Bokuto in making large puppy dog eyes at Suga.

Suga rolled his eyes. "I'll put it on the schedule."

Well, as long as Iwaizumi and him could help keep it contained than a time turner couldn't really get too out of control, right?

Bokuto let out an excited shout, earning him a glare from a Ravenclaw two tables away.

Suga smiled.

Alright, as long as they still had the concept of time by the end of the year, Suga was calling it a success.

ooooooo

"_Fumos!"_

A tiny tendril of smoke curled out of Yachi's wand before fizzling out into nothing.

She sighed. "_Fumos!"_

Nothing, not even a solitary tendril.

She sighed.

Suddenly, the sound of clapping echoed around the room.

"Excellent," Rezei told her, continuing to clap.

Yachi blushed. "Professor…I'm sorry, I just needed somewhere to practice so I…"

She gestured at the empty DADA classroom.

"It's fine." Rezei waved her off. "I was meeting with the Headmaster so it's not like I was using it right now." He paused. "By the way, you might want to avoid the Forest for awhile. Found something dangerous last night."

Yachi cocked her head. "I thought the Forbidden Forest was always off limits for students. Isn't that why it's...well, forbidden"

"Ah," Rezei grinned, "nice to hear, some people still listen to that rule. Shouldn't be surprised that it's one of my best students. By the way, the DADA room's always open to anyone practicing so diligently."

Yachi looked down on her feet. "Not that diligently. It still didn't work."

"Doesn't mean you're not trying." Rezei winked. "Actually, if you want to know a secret, I always have far more respect for those willing to work on their magic rather than those who can do it without trying."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Magic is a gift. More than that, it's in our blood. But, that doesn't mean we shouldn't fight for it. It's how we know we've earned it."

"I don't think I've really…" She trailed off at Rezei's look. "I just mean I still can't seem to get the spell right. No matter how many ways I think it through."

Rezei paused, looking contemplative for a second, before he went to the bookshelf behind his desk. "How well do you know your conjugations."

Yachi frowned. "Um, my mom taught me a bit a few years ago."

Rezei handed her the book. "Try to find the root for _Fumos._"

Yachi took the book, turning it over to see a translation dictionary, before flipping through the pages until she hit the 'F' section.

"Fumo? Smoke"

"Exactly." Rezei nodded. "The Latin word for smoke. More specifically the _verb _for smoke as the noun for the word is fumus. Now, tell me, what are you imagining when you try the spell?"

Yachi tried to think back. "I suppose...just smoke, I guess. Like a cloud."

Rezei beamed. "As makes sense considering that's close to what the result is supposed to look like. However, let me explain two very important things about magic. Both of which I want you to never _ever _forget."

"Okay?"

Rezei met her gaze. "I'm serious. These two rules are the most important things you ever need to know. They can help you understand magic in no other way. Even mean life or death in certain situations. Do you understand?"

Yachi paused, taking a breath before nodding. "I do."

"Alright," Rezei said, pointing down to the dictionary. "The first rule: word's matter. Roots of the words, conjugation, even location of origin-they all matter. It's not just pointing a stick. Knowing what you're saying, truly _knowing _what you want to do is half of the most important battle you have."

"What's the other half," Yachi asked.

Rezei smiled. "Hogwarts doesn't really start teaching you magical theory until fifth year. A mistake, if you ask me, but I think you're smart enough to understand this. When you get down to it, there's one truth every wizard has to know. Has to _feel _right down to the marrow of their bones. Magic is _you._"

His hand came to rest over his heart. "It's inherent. Part of your very soul. As much you as the thoughts going through your head. Having it is what makes us different than Muggles on a near fundamental basis. Unlike them, we can't _live _without magic." He paused. "That brings us to the second rule: intent. The magic comes from you, _is_ you, so what you intend to happen makes the difference."

He looked back to her. "Funny things happen when intent doesn't quite align with words. Sometimes it doesn't matter at all, sometimes it makes all the difference in the world. Like for say, using a verb while picturing a noun."

Yachi frowned, puzzling through the words. "So...I've been picturing smoke when...I should have been picturing the verb? _Creating _smoke."

"Maybe." Rezei shrugged. "Why don't you give it a try."

Yachi looked down at her wand and closed her eyes, picturing very hard the spark that creates smoke, the heaviness of water sticking together to create a fog, the magic running through her wand pouring into a cloud. And then, she called up her magic and _pulled_.

"_Fumos._"

It wasn't even a second before the clapping started again and Yachi opened her eyes to see a pale blue fog expanding around her until it covered almost the entire room.

"Perfect." Rezei smiled, waving a wand and vanishing most of the smoke through a small wisp still trailed out of the wand.

Yachi grinned, still looking at it and feeling almost dazed.

"What did I tell you," Rezei said. "It's not the power you put in, it's all about how you use it."

ooooooo

Daichi was eating his dinner as calmly as he could with his group of friends, something that was significantly easier in the scant time they had before Tanaka and Noya joined them.

Speaking of, he cast a glance in Asahi's direction and made a note to bully-er, _talk _to his friend about distracting-um, _confessing to _Noya before the younger found another soon to be disastrous scheme to drag them into.

Really, it was for the best. Both for Asahi and Noya...and maybe for the peace of mind of the rest of them as well. Daichi had only barely managed to get them out of taking care of the boggarts. Who knows how much time they had left before the next _idea_?

Daichi still had some hope of graduating with only a few grey hairs, no matter how many times he'd told Suga that only to get muffled laughter and a sympathetic smile.

The Great Hall doors burst open with Noya striding inside, Tanaka hot on his heels.

_Oh, no..._No, come on, he hadn't even gotten a chance to convince Asahi.

"Guys," Noya said, eyes wide. "They found out about the boggarts! The Ministry's going to banish them! We have to help them! We _promised._"

_Well, _Daichi thought, _it was nice while it lasted._

_ooooooo_

A/N:

Few quick notes: 1.) To explain more about the boggarts, it just didn't exactly make sense to me while Harry's entire class in the third book had pretty tame fears for thirteen year olds. I mean Hermoine even had failing her classes as her boggart in the final exam even though I'm sure she had much worst fears than that; especially considering as far as she knew at the time a murderous convict was trying to kill her friend. But, since Mrs. Weasley's boggart later is much darker (the death of her entire family), I figure boggarts change also based on stress and what's on a person's mind. Thinking about worse fears means worse boggarts. Also, boggarts and dementors are two of the only things classified as "non-beings" instead of "creatures" so I am totally going to make that leap to say they're related. 2.) Don't normally do this because I'm far too fond of foreshadowing and hiding hints in chapters, but I will say that one conversation in this chapter is INCREDIBLY important for not just this book but the entire series. 3.) Thank everyone so much for all the comments last chapter! Because I'm a few hours late, I decided to post the chapter before responding to comments but I will definitely be responding to all of them later today. Thank you, thank you! 4.) Finally, instagram user kkomori013 made a really wonderful fanart of Hinata from this story and I highly encourage everyone to check it out. /media/2029970431255438533_8338969433 5.) Next Chapter: Admiration


	5. Admiration

_Thunk._

_Thunk._

_Thunk._

_Thun-_

Something caught Daichi's head before it could hit the table again. He looked up.

Suga smiled. "So, I take it Noya and Tanaka found something?"

Daichi let out a mildly pathetic sounding moan.

"It can't be that bad, can it," Suga said.

"It' them. Of course, it is." Daichi looked at his perfect, amazing boyfriend with desperation in his eyes. "It's boggarts. We're saving boggarts now. Life is terrible."

Suga tilted his head. "I didn't know boggarts needed saving."

"Neither did I," Daichi muttered. "Suga, tell me the truth, is it too late for me to join up with your group? They seem sane."

Suga outright cackled. "Believe me, I can promise you they're doing something even _more _likely to give you a headache. At least, boggarts don't have a chance of destroying the fabric of reality."

Daichi very wisely chose not to ask. "Just my sanity."

"Yes, but that was a lost cause anyway," Suga teased.

Daichi shook his head. "Cruel, Suga. Why did I ever think you were sweet?"

Suga mock gasped. "Why, Daichi, are you saying I'm _not_ sweet? I'm devastated; I thought I had more time before you discovered the truth."

Daichi bent forward and kissed him because he kind of had to when Suga was smiling like that. "It's okay, it's too late now. I'm already trapped."

Suga grinned. "Then my evil plan is working."

Daichi kissed him again. "I'm afraid it is. I'm terrified, really."

"Good." Suga cast a glance around. "Not that I'm complaining. But, we are in the middle of the Great Hall and it's almost breakfast."

Daichi pulled back immediately, blushing. "Ah, sorry."

The next look Suga gave him was entirely too mischievous. "What I was trying to say is the Quidditch field should be pretty free. If you want to continue talking about my evil plans, I mean."

The blush deepened and Daichi immediately let himself be pulled up and out of the Great Hall.

It's possible life wasn't entirely terrible.

ooooooo

"Are you-are you Shouyou Hinata?"

Hinata turned and was met with large brown eyes and a face that was way too intent for an eleven year old.

"Um, yes," he answered, suddenly unsure. Which was stupid, he definitely knew his own name. But from the way, the boy's face lit up at the confirmation he was suddenly unsure. "Ah, do you need any help finding anything because I can...well, actually, I'm terrible at directions. But, I can get Yachi!"

The boy shook his head, mouth still gaping. "Like the Hinata from Hufflepuff's Quidditch team?"

"Yes."

Okay, that was better. Hinata at least knew Quidditch.

The boy stuck out his hand, grabbing Hinata's and shaking it. "Oh my gosh, okay, I'm Nao Asaka! It's so great to finally meet you! I'm your biggest fan!"

Hinata blinked. "Er, you are?"

Hinata was pretty sure he shouldn't have fans.

"Definitely!" Nao all but shouted. "I really, _really _wanted to end up in Hufflepuff like you but then the stupid hat put me in Gryffindor so-"

"Gryffindor's cool," Hinata insisted quickly.

"Really?" Nao's eyes shone. "You think so?"

Hinata nodded. "Absolutely, one of my best friend's in Gryffindor! She's a third year."

"That's awesome!" The kid cocked his head. "Hey, is it true that you _really _know my cousin Ennoshita?"

"Ah, yeah."

Hinata thinks he does at least. Near death experiences are supposed to bond people, right? I mean maybe he could talk to Ennoshita more. The last time he saw him was...well, actually, this morning when the fourth year leaned down and whispered, "I'm so, so sorry" before disappearing into a crowed. Huh. That made a lot more sense now.

While he was processing, Nao's jaw had dropped. "Seriously, how could he not tell me?! Ugh, that jerk!"

"Maybe he didn't think it was important," Hinata shrugged somewhat helplessly. He normally wasn't this bad at talking to younger kids. Natsu still thought he was cool, anyway. Nine and eleven couldn't be that different, right?

Nao's shaking his head. "No, no, he definitely knew. You're like the coolest muggleborn _ever_."

"I am?"

An idea started forming in the back of his mind that he jumped on with a ridiculous amount of relief.

"Oh!" Hinata smiled. "Wait, are you sure you're not confusing me with Oikawa? He's in Slytherin!"

"Who's Oikawa?" Nao frowned. "Wait, Slytherin has muggleborns?"

Okay, there went that hope.

Nao beamed. "Anyway, I'm definitely talking about you! My aunt let me listen to all the Quidditch games and you're _amazing!_ I can't believe you're a muggleborn like me! When I get older, I'm going to try out for the Quidditch team, too, and then we might even get to play together!"

Hinata smiled in a way he hoped looked encouraging. "That sounds awesome! Quidditch is the best!"

Nao nodded fervently like Hinata had just revealed the secrets of the universe. "It is."

Nao frowned slightly, glancing at his watch. "Ugh, I got to go to Potions. Can I...can I talk to you later? Please? Not to be like annoying or anything, it's just you're..._you_!"

Maybe Hinata had accidentally been subjected to one of Matsu and Makki's potions.

"Of course. Anytime" Hinata said because that at least seemed like the right thing to do.

Nao grinned again, looking slightly like he was going to faint, before running off down the hall in the direction of the dungeon.

Hinata...Hinata had no idea what just happened.

But, he was fairly sure he needed help.

ooooooo

_Son,_

_As it's been over a month into the school year, I take it you've managed to master the time turner and use it to pursue our best interests. I'm likewise sure I don't need to remind you how important and valuable an opportunity this is, one I'll will be severely disappointed if you mess up for us. _

_Having more hours in a day is an invaluable resource to a future politician. With it, I expect to hear of your improvements in __all_ _areas of life. Kuroo's cannot afford to waste time, son, even when you now have more of it. In addition, I hope the secretive nature of this task will teach you the practicalities of discretion. Needless to say, I don't need to remind you that no one can know about this._

_In addition, I have excellent news. I was able to secure an afternoon off in a few weeks and plan to be available during your Hogsmeade visit. I expect to see you at the usual private room in Hogsmeade at noon. Don't be late; you know how limited my time can be and I'm eager to hear of your progress._

_Speaking of, I hope your other task is progressing well. I plan to leak word of my proposed addition of the Werewolf Rights Act next month and I'd hope to have an opportunity to speak with both the Tsukishima and Yamaguchi families at their group's annual holiday party. Make sure you secure us an invitation. I don't need to hear excuses about this, Tetsuro. You're a resourceful boy; certainly charming yourself into friendship with a couple of boys two years younger than you isn't that difficult of a task. _

_While I'm visiting, I would also enjoy the opportunity to meet those friends your mother tells me about. As I mentioned, they seem to be chosen well but I'll need to get a better idea of them if I'm going to plan how best they fall into our future strategies. The company you keep reflects on the entire family, after all. _

_Remember, all of this is your start to the greater future I've planned for you for years. Do not ruin it._

_Sincerely,_

_Oh, yes, and your mother sends her love._

_Sincerely,_

_Your Father, Ozuro Kuroo_

Kuroo crumpled the letter up and threw it in the fire, watching with a vindictive sort of pleasure as the edges blackened until they were unreadable.

When it was finally nothing more than ash and a bad taste in his mouth, Kuroo fell heavily back into his seat in the Ravenclaw common room.

"Asshole," he muttered.

"That bad," Kenma asked, folded catlike in the seat beside him with a book in his lap.

"It's always that bad. It's _him. _You know what Dad's like."

Kenma hummed. "Barely. I haven't exactly had the opportunity to know him."

There was a sharpness lingering under the tone, the vestiges of a too old debate never forgotten.

Kuroo winced. "Come on, even...even with how things are, you know."

Kenma's face lost the barely there edge, the black and gold of his hair shifting unconsciously as he ran a hand through it with a small sigh. "You're right. I do. I'm sorry."

Kuroo waved a way the apology. "My fault."

"What did he want?"

"Same thing he always wants," Kuroo rolls his eyes, "just this time with the added fun bonus of the time turner. He wants me to 'further the family name' as if I care one bit about going into politics."

"You're good at it," Kenma said idly.

"Eww, no, take it back." Kuroo poked at him with his foot. "How dare you insult my character like that."

Kenma rolled his eyes. "Not like your father. You mean it. You're good at finding what you want to say. You're good at showing others it's what they need, too."

Kuroo smiled, bright in the way it always was when he'd earned one of Kenma's rare gems of a compliment.

"Thanks." He cleared his throat. "I think I'll just stick to my real plan of being a trophy husband, though. Count on my good looks to pave the way and hope my loving spouse doesn't leave me for the younger model. You know, _the dream._"

Kenma rolled his eyes so hard it looked almost painful.

"Why, Kenma," Kuroo grinned, "are you saying I couldn't do it? That's so rude! You're chipping away at my vanity here!"

"Good," Kenma said succinctly, turning back to his book.

"I don't think I'd like to be the trophy husband for someone _that _famous though," Kuroo mused. "Not the celebrity kind like a sports star or an actor or a politician. And, _definitely, _not a magiarcheologist."

Kenma snorted, not looking up from the pages.

"Nah, I'd want to be married to the smart kind of famous," Kuroo continued. "You know, more subtle like a quiet revolutionary Charms Master or something."

Kenma finally looked up, sitting down his book on advanced Charms theory.

Kuroo grinned, throwing in a wink.

Kenma shook his head, blushing slightly.

"You're ridiculous," he said softly."...Besides, you'd make a _terrible _trophy husband. You don't have the temperament."

"Quit bashing on my dreams!" Kuroo leaned back, letting silence set in briefly before frowning. "Dad's coming up for Hogsmeade weekend. He wants to meet the Investigators' Club."

It said something about the tone that for once Kenma didn't make a comment on the name. "Are you going to let him?"

Kuroo shrugged. "Not like I have much choice. It's either set it up now or refuse and have him try to find a way on his own. This way at least let's me be there to have some control." He huffed. "Oh, also, apparently I have to get invited to the Tsukishima holiday party."

"Well, that at least won't be that hard. You _did _fight a basilisk together."

Kuroo closed his eyes, leaning back in his seat. "Hush, you're not supposed to know about that."

"Like I'm not supposed to know about the time-turner."

"Exactly. Only, you know, more so."

There was a pause and Kuroo cracked an eye open.

Kenma was turned, looking at the fire with steady eyes. Kuroo watched him.

A lot of people would say Kenma was near expressionless. They were wrong.

Kuroo always thought that Kenma showed expressions like still water.

The feelings were always there, it just took a practiced eye to know where to look. And if there was anything Kuroo was practiced with, it was that. He saw the small press of the mouth, the direction of his eyes, the slightly shifting colors in his hair that always was the first tell to his worries.

He used it so rarely it was easy to forget that Kenma was a metamorphmagus. Or well, no, that wasn't quite right. The skills were as much part of Kenma as the slight legilimency was part of Kuroo. Kenma used it constantly. He just used in a way to deter attention rather than draw it in.

All except his hair.

When Kuroo first met Kenma, eleven years ago and long enough now that neither of them could remember anything about it except one thing. Kuroo remembered the taste of butterscotch, rich, sweet, and with a warmth that lingered on his tongue. It was the first time he'd ever used his legilimency and the sense he got in return was the taste of his favorite candy.

The bottom of Kenma's hair was the color of butterscotch, just as it had been for eleven years.

Still water always ran the deepest.

Kenma noticed Kuroo watching him.

"We'll figure it out. The stuff with your father. You always find a way."

Kuroo smiled. "We will."

ooooooo

Ennoshita raised an eyebrow as Noya pulled out _another _pile of books to sit on the desk.

"How do you have all this," he asked.

Noya blinked. "Are you kidding I've been wanting to bring a creature protection case to the Ministry for _years_."

Daichi wisely decided not to comment. "So, what exactly is the plan here, Noya?"

Another pile landed on the desk.

"The plan," Noya paused for effect, "is to save the boggarts!"

Tsukishima rolled his eyes. "Yes, you said that. What exactly does that entail? Better question, actually, what are we saving them from?"

"The Ministry," Noya answered. "Hogwarts already reported the colony to the Ministry and now there going to send an _exterminator _to try to get rid of them! In their own homes! They're going to try to banish them! They're too young; it would destroy them!"

Asahi frowned. "What can we do to stop it?"

Noya beamed, that extra bright smile he always reserved for Asahi. Daichi made a mental note to once again talk to Asahi. Just because they were already sucked into a plan didn't mean Daichi couldn't still get a little bit of revenge for last year.

"Excellent question," Noya said, clapping his hands together and looking down at the books. "First, we need to file an injunction in protest. Once that gets accepted, the Ministry legally _can't _touch them until they have time to get a committee together to hear our case." He brought up one of the books and patted it fondly. "Thank you, Creature Protection Act of 1504."

Ennoshita sighed. "Why aren't you ever this interested in school?"

"Because this is important," Noya protested.

"What happens after the injunction, bro," Tanaka asked.

Noya snapped. "Which brings us to Phase Two."

"Oh great, there's phases," Tsukishima muttered.

"After the injunction goes through," Noya continued. "A protection barrier will be put around the boggart habitat so they can't get out and people know they're there. That's the bad part."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Yamaguchi said.

Noya grabbed Yamaguchi's shoulders, shaking his head sadly. "Oh, but it is, my young pupil. It means the boggarts won't get anything to eat."

There was a long moment of silence while the implications of that sunk in.

Asahi shuddered.

"No," Tsukishima said with all the finality of someone who already knew their demand was hopeless. "We are not going to hang out with boggarts just so they can feed on our fears."

Noya shrugged. "But, they need to eat. If nothing gets in and they can't get out, what else can they do? You don't want them to turn into dementors, right?"

Ennoshita sighed. "I hate this. Why couldn't it have been another dragon? Or...I don't know a harpy, maybe?"

Noya's eyes widened. "Oh! A harpy would be awesome! Maybe next year."

Ennoshita glared and Asahi patted his shoulder. "He's probably kidding."

Noya meanwhile pulled out a parchment. "Besides, guys, it's not like we all have to feed them at once. We can take turns. Just so someone can check on them everyday. There's seven of us so that's like just once a week."

"Fine," Daichi said. "Give me the parchment and I'll give it to Suga. He's already making a schedule for his group already. He probably won't mind making another one."

Tsukishima frowned. "What do they need a schedule for?"

"He didn't tell me."

Noya cocked his head. "Hey, do you think Suga would like to-"

"No," Daichi cut him off.

Noya held up his hands in surrender. "Fine, he can help with the Ministry case then."

"We have to make a case," Tanaka asked, scrunching up his face.

Noya nodded. "Yep for the committee _and _we need to write the injunction. What do you think all these books are for?"

As one, the entire group looked down at the pile of what had to be at least twenty books on magical creature law.

"Merlin," Tanaka swore.

Daichi couldn't help but agree. It was kind of funny in a way. A scheme to feed boggarts was much more Noya's typical brand of insanity. But, of all the things he could ever imagined Noya asking them to do, studying magical law never crossed his mind.

ooooooo

The sky was blue. The birds were singing. Oikawa had just showed up one of the snootier purebloods in his House by knowing more about the magical theory that the guy's own grandfather had invented.

All in all, it was a wonderful day.

Which is why Oikawa did not appreciate it when said joyous mood was interrupted by being rudely pulled into a dark hall.

His wand was out, halfway to a jinx before he actually saw who grabbed him.

"Hinata," he said flatly, "is there a reason you're accosting your much beloved older classmen?"

Hinata stared at him with wide eyes. "I need your help."

Oikawa immediately got serious. "What is it? Are any of my House bothering you because I can definitely jinx their-"

"No, not that." Hinata shook his head before shuddering. "Oikawa...it was terrifying."

"What happened?"

Surely, Hinata hadn't found something _else _to murder them. They hadn't even made it to the first Quidditch game yet. This was supposed to be the _fun year._

"This morning, one of the new first years came up to me and…," Hinata trailed off again.

"What?" Oikawa rolled his hand in a go-on gesture.

"He said he was my biggest fan."

Oikawa stared.

Hinata stared back.

"He said...what?"

"That he was my biggest fan," Hinata all but squeaked, "and then he kept going on about how cool I was and, Oikawa, I didn't know what to say or what to do and-"

"BWHAAAhaaahaa!"

Oikawa slipped down the wall, clutching his stomach as the laughter kept rolling out.

"It's not funny! I didn't want to do!"

Oikawa wheezed.

"Wait! I need your help!"

"You need-," another snicker, "my help-pft!-with how," a snort, "popular you've gotten?"

"Yes!"

Oikawa kept laughing

Hinata glared, or at least tried to. Oikawa laughed harder.

Finally, when the laughter had finally trailed off into errant snickers, Oikawa looked back up.

"So," he said, wiping the tears from his eyes, "how exactly do you want me to help you?"

"I need you to tell me what to do," Hinata said earnestly. "You're...you know, kind of cool-"

"Oh ho, high praise!"

"And I _know _you're popular. How do you like...deal with people?"

Oikawa cocked his head. "You know I could swear I distinctly remember someone telling me I _wasn't _their mentor. They seemed seemed to think Suga or _Bokuto _held that title. Oh, how the tide's have changed!"

Hinata rolled his eyes. Oikawa smirked. Adorable, he was learning!

"They are! But for this problem, I need _your _help!"

Oikawa grinned. "Well, then, I suppose I can give you some advice...with such a kind and caring offer, of course."

"Thank you" Hinata said, somewhat desperately.

Oikawa laid his hands on the younger's shoulders, looking at him gravely. "Are you ready?"

Hinata nodded.

"Okay, then the best advice I can give you is…

Hinata waited, eyes wide.

"...that there's no advice," Oikawa finished, patting his shoulder with a wink and heading back to the stairs.

"Wait, what?"

"Yep, no advice," Oikawa said cheerfully. "You're screwed! You really think I know how to deal with it? I spend half my time pissing off my House for fun."

Hinata ran in front of him, cutting him off. "Wait, that's really all you have?"

Oikawa shrugged. "Frankly, I'm not sure how it happened to me. Well, you know other than being brilliant and talented and handsome. Don't tell anyone I don't know, though. Ruins the mystique."

"Ugh." Hinata slumped against the banister. "This is why Suga's my mentor."

Hinata looked out onto the distance with large pathetic eyes.

Oikawa sighed as if pained. "Okay, fine. Here's some advice, stereotypical as it may be. You'll be fine. Just be yourself. Kid has to like you already for some reason, right?"

Hinata brightened slightly, hope returning to his eyes. "He told me he like how I played Quidditch."

"See there. Just play Quidditch. Boom, done! Amazing mentorship courtesy of Tooru Oikawa completed."

Hinata grinned, finally moving enough to let Oikawa pass on the stairs. "Thanks, Oikawa."

"Don't mention it." Oikawa paused, starting down the stairs. "No really, don't mention it. _Ever._"

"Yeah, yeah," Hinata said, moving to follow him. "I won't let anyone know you-"

_CRACK!_

The stone step broke under Hinata's foot while his other foot slipped against the stone and then, he was falling, down the four story drop ending in hard castle stone.

Oikawa froze for half a second before scrambling for his wand and leaning over the rails until he could spot Hinata.

"_LEVICORPUS!"_

Hinata's body slowed barely a meter from the ground before hitting the bottom hard.

"Hinata!" Oikawa ran down the steps, practically three steps at a time before he got to the bottom with the way too still form of Hinata.

He nearly had a heart attack before Hinata let out a weak groan, sitting up enough just to cradle his arm. "What happened?"

Oikawa looked up to the sharp line of the broken stair above before looking back down at Hinata. "What happened is you almost died."

ooooooo

A/N: Thanks, as always, for everyone's support! I couldn't do this without you guys! In other news, finished with finals week and finally at graduation! With that, I will admit I don't entirely trust my copy editing due to final paper burnout. If there's any spelling or grammar mistakes, I apologize. Please tell me about them in the comments and I will fix them. Next Chapter: Snakes in the Grass


	6. Snakes in the Grass

"Like this," Hinata asked, rotating his wrist.

"Exactly," Asahi murmured, shy gaze unusually sharp as it focused on the newly mended wrist. "How does it feel?"

"Great!" Hinata grinned.

"No pain?"

"Nah, just a bit sore."

Asahi took a note. "Can you bend it backwards?"

Hinata checked. "Yep!"

"Side to side?"

"Check!"

"And you're _sure _it doesn't still hurt like-"

"It's fine, Asahi," Hinata reassured. "Thanks for mending it!"

Asahi smiled bashfully. "Well...it is why Professor Nekomata let's me volunteer here. He'll come and check you out soon and take care of the rest of the bruises. You said the stair broke?"

Hinata nodded, exchanging a look with Oikawa, still hovering close by with his arms crossed.

Asahi frowned. "I've never heard of that happening before?"

"Neither have I," Oikawa said, expressionless.

Hinata shrugged. "No big deal. I wasn't even that hurt!"

Oikawa rolled his eyes. "Yeah, only because of _me_. If you were alone, you could have died."

Hinata beamed. "Thanks, Oikawa!"

"Brat," he huffed.

The hospital doors burst open, releasing one irate Kageyama, a worried Yachi and Kenma, and Lev-who waved cheerfully at where Yaku was sorting herbs in the corner of the medbay. Yaku glared back.

Asahi's eyes widened. "Um, I think I'll go see if Professor Nekomata is done yet."

"And I think I'll…," Oikawa cast a withering look as Kageyama strode closer, "go find better company."

He slipped out passed the door before Hinata could comment.

"HINATA!" Kageyama grabbed his shoulders, glaring at him. "Dumbass! They told us you fell down three flights of stairs? You idiot, how did you-Are you hurt? Can you still play Quidditch? "

Hinata smiled, mentally translating that to Kageyama's version of "I was worried. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine! Asahi already fixed my wrist and Professor Nekomata's coming by to handle the bruises. I'm totally good for the Quidditch game!" Hinata ended it with a thumbs up, the most reassuring of all gestures.

Kageyama relaxed, moving back enough for Yachi to come forward with a frown. "What happened?"

"The stair broke under me," Hinata said, shivering slightly at that terrifying slow moment of falling instead of flying. "Don't worry, Oikawa's spell caught me before I landed."

"Oikawa was there," Kageyama muttered, brows coming together.

"Stairs...stairs don't just break," Kenma said softly.

Yachi nodded. "They're charmed for durability. The spells are still detailed in _Hogwarts: A History._"

Hinata shrugged."Maybe the spell was old. Or not done right?"

Yachi was still frowning but didn't disagree.

"That sucks!" Lev grimaced. "Really, your luck is _the worst_!"

"Could've been worse," Hinata argued sheepishly.

Lev nodded fervently. "Yeah, you could've been hurt for Quidditch!"

Yaku huffed, coming up to the group as Hinata halfway expected him to do ever since Lev arrived. He made a few cursory glances at Hinata's wrist before looking towards Lev. "Isn't he playing _your _team?"

"Well, yeah…," Lev admitted before frowning and looking as if undergoing intense mental debate.

The rest waited patiently.

Finally, Lev shrugged. "Whatever, I'm rooting for Hufflepuff anyway. Our Quidditch team's assholes."

Yaku nodded, looking particularly pleased, and Lev beamed back.

The moment lasted all of five seconds before the two started arguing again, this time about how Lev's did his tie.

Hinata had given up any hope of understanding that friendship since first year.

ooooooo

The next weekend, following his early morning volunteering shift, Asahi nodded his goodbye to Professor Nekomata and left the Hospital Wing with a quiet smile and rare sense of optimism.

Both quickly plummeted the moment he saw Daichi with that particular look in his eyes.

"No! Shoo, get back!" Asahi crossed his fingers n a entirely ineffective warning sign against dark magic that all wizarding children knew.

Daichi rolled his eyes."Don't be dramatic, I'm just grabbing you for the Quidditch game."

Asahi relaxed his shoulders. "Really?"

"Of course, actually had to argue with Noya for the _privilege _of picking you up." He paused. "Say, speaking of Noya-"

Asahi groaned. "You're evil, Daichi! _Evil!_"

"No, I'm your best friend," Daichi corrected, slinging an arm around his shoulders. "Your best friend who wants you to be happy."

"Thought you wanted to distract Noya," Asahi muttered.

"That, too. Though too late for the bogarts."

Asahi narrowed his eyes. "Also think you're still getting revenge for last year."

"I'm a complicated person," Daichi agreed. "But, the happiness is the primary concern, got it?"

Asahi looked down with a sigh. "Just drop it, Daichi, I'm not going to ask him out."

"Why," Daichi asked. "You've liked him for years. Just give me one actual _good _reason not to do anything about it and I'll stop bothering you."

"Other than he doesn't like me back?"

"Okay, we both know I don't agree with you there," he countered easily.

"It could hurt the Crows!"

"This still the same friend group that spent most of last year messing with my love life?"

"That's not the same," Asahi mumbled unconvincingly. He fidgeted, tugging on his shirt sleeves nervously. "You want a reason? Fine. Noya deserves better than me, Daichi. We both know it."

Daichi stopped them, gripping a hand on Asahi's shoulder until Asahi would look him in the eye. Asahi almost didn't, almost pulled away and kept walking. But, Daichi deserved better than that.

"Listen," Daichi said. "Really actually listen, Asahi, because if not, I'm going to keep saying it until you do. You're a great guy. You're kind and smart and a far better person than you ever give yourself credit for. _Anyone_-and that includes Noya-would be lucky to have you, exactly the way you are."

Asahi looked away. "Stop, Daichi. _Please. _Stop trying to change my mind. It's not going to work and I really, really don't want to think about it. Please, as my friend, just _stop_."

Daichi released his shoulder and Asahi heard a heavy sigh in return. "Fine, I'll stop. Just...you gotta stop letting your fear stop you from being happy. _You_ deserve better than this."

Asahi shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and followed Daichi as they continued down to the Quidditch pitch.

Did he deserve better? Maybe or maybe not. The thing that Asahi didn't say is that he had learned a long time ago that there was a difference between what someone deserved and what they actually got. Even if he deserved better, Asahi wasn't going to hold out hope for it to actually happen.

He had his friends. That was enough.

It was more than enough. It was more than he ever thought he'd have.

Asking more was just...wanting too much.

They met with the others outside the castle, much to the excitement of the newest tag-along.

"That's everyone!" Nao whipped his head around to Ennoshita. "That's everyone, right, Chikara? Come on, let's go! I want to get good seats! Or, ugh, what if we get there and there's _no seats _and then we have to leave and sit in the castle and I won't get to-"

Ennoshita's hand landed firmly over Nao's mouth, cutting off the stream. "Nao, never in the history of Hogwarts, has the stadium ever run out of seating. I'm fairly sure there's an expansion charm in place if it ever gets close."

"Oh, so at least _someone_ bothered to learn an expansion charm," Tsukishima muttered under his breath.

Tanaka ignored him, focusing on Nao. "Patience, young pupil. Find your serenity. The year's first Quidditch game is a thing of pure transcending beauty that must not be rushed."

"He's not your pupil," Ennoshita corrected, steering his cousin away from both Noya and Tanaka. "One because there's is no way I'm letting that happen. And, second, because Hinata's his favorite and one over excited danger magnet is enough, thank you."

Nao perked up immediately at the final name.

"We'll win him over." Noya shrugged unconcerned. "Both Tanaka and I talked about it and being the generous people we are, we've decided we are completely fine setting up a co-mentoring relationship with Hinata." He looked at Nao seriously. "Don't worry, kid, we'll make it work!"

Nao beamed. "Yay! Three Quidditch players! It's okay if Hinata's still my favorite though, right? Muggleborns gotta stick together."

Tanaka waved him off. "We'll compromise."

"No," Ennoshita ordered.

Yamaguchi grimaced sympathetically. "I think you might be doomed at this point."

"Nope," Ennoshita said, already shaking his head. "New rule, only one crazy scheme a year. I already agreed to the boggarts, so try again next year!"

Nao tilted his head. "What boggarts?"

"Hush now." Ennoshita said, moving to cover Nao's ears as he continued to lead them through the crowd. Nao accepted it, good naturedly.

Walking with his friends and watching the way Noya jumped around the group, somehow simultaneously maintaining an excited conversation with Nao and an ongoing argument with Tsukishima, Asahi ducked his head down with a small smile.

This was enough. It had to be.

ooooooo

"Quick! Hurry!" Oikawa made a grabbing motion with his hands.

Kuroo smirked, leaning back and twirling the chain of the time-turner on his finger. "I don't know….We _are _supposed to be using this thing responsibly, right?"

Oikawa scoffed. "Oh, please, you used it to double up on desserts yesterday. I put it on the schedule and everything. Now _hurry_, I don't have long before Tamiko shows up."

Kuroo rolled his eyes and handed it over. "Have fun on your date. See you...well, you know in a few minutes actually."

"And I'll see you in three hours." Oikawa winked.

Suga frowned. "Don't forget to-"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll keep notes," Oikawa said, already turning and pushing through the crowd.

Iwaizumi glanced down at his watch. "Five minutes until noon. Find seats?"

Kuroo nodded in agreement and Suga weaved them through the crowd with the kind of authoritative grace that could only be found in nobility or primary school teachers.

"And...noon," Iwaizumi announced and a few moments later, Oikawa dropped down in the seat next to them and handed the time turner to Kuroo along with a rolled up parchment to Suga.

"How was the date," Suga asked. "Or, I suppose, how is it if we're being accurate."

Oikawa shrugged. "Fine. We're going out next Friday."

"I can't believe you used time travel to go to a Quidditch game," Iwaizumi muttered.

"Technically, I used time travel to go on a date," Oikawa corrected. "Quidditch was the priority here."

Kuroo shook his head. "Remind me how you became popular again."

"Poise and beauty," Oikawa answered easily, flipping his hair.

"No, that can't be it." Kuroo turned to Suga. "Is it too early to count out a mass befuddlement charm?"

"It wouldn't be powerful enough," Suga said gravely. "Maybe it's a potion."

"Oh, hardy har har," Oikawa said before draping his arms around Iwaizumi. "At least, Iwa-chan's still got my back."

"No, I don't." Iwazumi shoved him off.

"Rude, Iwa-chan!"

Professor Oiwake blew his whistle and the players took to the field in flashes of yellow and green.

Slytherin got the Quaffle first, a narrow faced sixth year barreling towards the goals in a clear intimidation tactic.

Bokuto's arm shot out to catch the Quaffle with a smooth motion that almost made it look easy.

Oikawa cheerfully waved his yellow and black flag, smiling brightly whenever he caught his upperclassmen's glares.

Suga hid a smile. "That's the new blocking stance that the Russian team used last year, isn't it?"

Kuroo nodded. "Yeah, he was reading about it in class last week."

Iwaizumi gave him an odd look. "What class gave you Quidditch tactics to read?"

"None of them." Oikawa snorted. "He transformed it to look like our Arithmancy text book. I thought Professor Yamiji was going to kill him."

"So...um, how's Arithmancy," Suga asked with a raised eyebrow.

Both Oikawa and Kuroo groaned in unison.

"Told you not to take it." Iwaizumi leaned back, crossing his arms. "Not too late to drop it, right?"

Oikawa huffed. "As if I'm going to let an Arithmancy class defeat me?"

Suga looked hopefully at Kuroo. "What about you?"

"Oh, please, I'm not letting Oikawa win the bet that easy." Kuroo smirked.

Oikawa hummed. "But, think about the later embarrassment you'll save when the _winner _cashes in that favor."

Kuroo smiled innocently. "Aww, thanks, but I don't think it'll be too much of an embarrassment _for me._"

Oikawa opened his mouth to retort before Suga hastily cut him in, "You know Hinata told me last tutoring session he and Kageyama are trying to go pro?"

"Kenma told me," Kuroo said, shaking his head. "They do know they're still third years, right?"

The crowd abruptly erupted as Hinata pulled out of a dive, taking the first score for Hufflepuff.

Oikawa hummed. "Good thing Asahi fixed his wrist."

It took another second to realize the rest were staring at him.

"It's Hinata," he said as if that explained it which to be fair, it sort of did.

Suga sighed. "What happened?"

"The stair broke out from under him."

"What?" Iwaizumi frowned. "How does that even happen?"

Oikawa shrugged.

"Only Hinata." Kuroo shook his head.

Another goal distracted everyone as Hufflepuff pulled ahead by two.

Oikawa cheered, shoving back the thought that kept cropping back up for the passed few days.

Stairs don't just break. Not at Hogwarts.

ooooooo

Hinata pulled up sharply, just barely avoiding a collision with a Slytherin Beater.

His hands tensed tightly around the Quaffle.

The second smirked at him, hitting a Bludger at him that smacked against one of his bruises and almost made him lose his grip

He loved Quidditch; but, playing against Slytherin was the absolute _worst_.

He threw at the goals, scoring again right before a Slytherin Chaser stopped barely a hand's breadth away from knocking into him.

The. Worst.

Kageyama pulled up beside him. "You okay?"

Hinata nodded, eyeing the Slytherin team wearily while Koki got into position to intercept.

"Their new Seeker sucks. Maybe Mad Dog will find the Snitch soon and end it," Kageyama muttered which said something because Kageyama _never _wanted the game to end early.

Hinata grimaced briefly before offering a sharp smile. "Then, let's make the most of it before he does."

Slytherin's Keeper threw the Quaffle into play, almost intercepted before their Chaser raced forward to grab it.

The Chaser flew down field, narrowly dodging Aone and Futakuchi's block, before throwing towards the goal.

Bokuto caught it, grinning widely, and Hinata swore he could hear the Slytherin captain's swears from halfway across the field.

A toss to Kageyama and Hinata readied himself, focusing on the field.

In a strange way, Kageyama and Hinata were exact opposites when it came to Quidditch. Kageyama thought about things like wind speed and angles, tossing it all together in large strokes of intuition. For Hinata, it was more feelings. Go there. Be here. Fly however he wants to and Kageyama would bring the Quaffle to him. Sure, Hinata was still learning, different moves, different grips, more precise ways to get passed the Keeper. But, for the most part, he didn't have to worry about the how's, he only had to trust that Kageyama was.

Hinata guessed that was the real thing. He had to trust Kageyama to do his part and Kageyama had to trust him to believe in that enough that he wouldn't even have to look to make the catch.

And then, he'd make the catch and it would be…._amazing._

It would be _everything, _the best feeling in the entire world and landing right in the palm of his hand.

It was_,_ Hinata thought, exactly the kind of thing he wanted to do forever.

He threw and the Quaffle flicked off the Keeper's fingers before falling definitively in the goal.

Hinata didn't have time to celebrate before another of Slytherin's Chaser's almost rammed into him.

Hinata flinched back, a half second before the Chaser stopped an inch shy.

"Oops." The Chaser smirked.

Hinata glared.

The sound of a whistle cut through the air and both players looked down to see Professor Oiwake signaling a time-out from the Slytherin's captain.

The Chaser shrugged. "Oh well, catch you later, mud-ah, I mean _Hinata_"

Hinata was still muttering angrily when he landed on the field with the rest of his team.

Kageyama raised an eyebrow at him but Hinata shook his head.

"Ugh," Futakuchi groaned. "How long until these guys graduate again?"

"Two years," Bokuto sighed. "None of them are below sixth years. Merlin, I don't think they even held _tryouts _except to get a new Seeker_._"

Mad Dog growled. "Don't like him. Keeps pulling feints."

"Yeah, well that's Slytherin." Futakuchi threw up his hands. "Idiots! They're screwing over their own House by refusing new members. Let's just hope the next batch aren't such total tools!"

Bokuto nodded. "Watch out for whatever tactic they're coming up with in the time out. I'm sure we can handle it."

The rest nodded just in time for the whistle to sound again.

Both teams returned to the field.

Within minutes, it became apparent that the new Slytherin tactic consisted of flying in sharp, reckless maneuvers meant to purposely shake the Hufflepuff team without actually leading to collisions that would get them penalties.

Dangerous, dramatic, and just short of breaking the rules in a way that was fairly emblematic of all the worst parts of the Slytherin team.

It might have actually been an alright tactic if the Slytherin team actually had the technique to stop at _just _distracting the other team rather than literally crashing into them.

Another half an hour into the game and the fact that Slytherin hadn't knocked anyone off their broom was more the result of luck than anything.

Hinata pulled up a second before one of the Chasers swiped by him, so close the bristles of the broom brushed their shoulder.

He really, _really _hoped Mad Dog found the Snitch soon. Kenma would never let him live it down if he ended up in the Hospital Wing two times in a week.

The Quaffle landed in his hand and he twisted up, racing to the hoops.

He scored and immediately ducked a Bludger aimed directly at his head.

He straightened just in time for the second Bludger to hit into the back of his broom, sending him into a brief tailspin.

Below, Professor Oiwake whistled in warning, glaring at the Slytherin Beaters.

An arm shot out, catching Hinata's shoulder to steady him, as the world steadied again around him and he got a firm grip on his broom.

"Thanks," he muttered to Futakuchi.

Futakuchi nodded, leaning in to whisper. "Hey, listen, I think I've got a plan."

"What is it?"

"Don't worry about it," Futakuchi told him. "Just next time you get the Quaffle, head down the right side of the field, alright, and try to take a dive."

Hinata grimaced. "Every time I do, the Beaters tag up and try to knock me off when I pull up."

Futakuchi grinned. "Aone and I are counting on it!"

Hinata gave him a weird look but nodded.

Slytherin's Keeper retrieved the Quaffle, passing it off to the narrow faced Slytherin Chaser.

Hinata moved to cut him off before the second Chaser whipped towards him, blocking his teammate and sending Hinata almost upside down in an attempt to avoid.

The Chasers raced towards the goal, barreling towards it as if they were going to attempt to ram straight into it.

Finally, when the first Chaser was a few feet from the goal-and aiming to throw directly at Bokuto's chest-he threw back to his teammate. Slytherin scored, bringing the score up to Hufflepuff at one hundred and Slytherin at seventy.

Hinata huffed, hands itching on his broom as he waited for Bokuto to throw the Quaffle back to Koki.

Hinata knew what was going to come next without even looking.

Sure enough, the second, Koki passed to Kageyama, Hinata was already halfway down the field, mindful of the two Beaters tracking his trail.

He sense more than saw the Bludger, twisting into a corkscrew and watching it fly across the space where his head used to be.

He gritted his teeth. Well, no better time than now for a dive than when he was already upside down, right?

He just hoped whatever Futakuchi was planning worked and he wouldn't be stuck between _two _giant Slytherin Beaters.

He pulled into a sharp dive, watching as the ground came flying towards him while he waited for Kageyama. Below him, the shadows spread as the Slytherin Beater behind him followed his descent.

Hinata tried to ignore him.

Just another two heartbeats and then…

He held up his hand and the Quaffle came flying towards it, sinking into his arms like it was drawn there by magic.

_Perfect. _Like always.

He pulled up from the dive, trying not to imagine how much it would hurt if the Beater behind him actually succeed in knocking him off his broom.

_SMACK!_

Hinata inched an eye open, kind of surprised he was still on his broom before he realized the sound came from behind him.

He spared a glance and watched as the Beater following him served to the side, cursing as he held his arm carefully, the dusty imprint of a Bludger on his shoulder.

Behind him, Futakuchi smirked viciously, holding his bat.

Hinata grinned, launching forward on his broom, just in time to see the second Beater pause in surprise before Aone's Bludger hit him hard in the chest.

Hinata loved his team.

Without the Beaters there to block it, Hinata dodged around the Keeper to score.

He was still smiling by the time the Chaser from earlier flew beside him, glaring.

"Don't look too happy," the Chaser drawled. "It's not over until-"

Professor Oiwake blew the whistle.

"HUFFLEPUFF SEEKER CATCHES THE SNITCH, ENDING THE GAME AT TWO HUNDRED SIXTY HUFFLEPUFF TO SEVENTY SLYTHERIN!"

"Guess it is," Hinata said cheerfully.

He didn't give the other time to retort before he flew down and landed with the rest of his team.

"Can I petition never to play Slytherin again," Futakuchi asked plaintively.

Hinata beamed up at him. "Thanks for taking care of the Beaters."

Futakuchi pinched his cheek, winking when Hinata slapped his hands away. "Thanks for being such a good distraction. Been wanting to try that move forever, just never had another pair of Beaters I've hated as much."

Kageyama came to stand on Hinata's other side, giving him a mild once over and nodding when he saw Hinata wasn't too injured.

On the other side of the group, Bokuto was trying once again to give a hug to a growling Mad Dog while Aone serenely held him back and Futakuchi egged him on.

Somewhere close, Hinata knew Akaashi and Yachi were waiting for the team and even further than that, Kenma and Lev sat in the stands.

Hinata leaned on his broom, content for a moment at standing there and laughing at Bokuto's increasingly futile attempts.

_Yeah, _he thought. _I could do this forever._

ooooooo  
A/N: As always, thanks for all the support I've gotten with this story! There will be no new chapter next week as I will be on vacation at Wizarding World of Harry Potter (I am super excited!). Chapter should come out regularly following that.

Next Chapter: The Right Lessons


	7. The Right Lessons

Yachi loved her friends, she really did. In fact, there were days she still couldn't believe how lucky she'd gotten to go from a slightly nervous-okay, maybe a bit more than slightly-first year getting sorted into the most terrifying House in the world to, well, a still nervous Gryffindor but with the friends she once would have believed impossible.

Hinata and Kageyama were the absolute best friends a girl could ask for.

….That said "quiet" and "peaceful" were also the last words anyone would ever use to describe either of them.

The point is that sometimes Yachi really enjoyed her, um, _calmer _times spent in the library with a really good book.

"If you like that one, you should really see her book on potions harvesting. Her remedies depend heavily on lunar cycles."

Of course, the company Yachi found in the library never hurt either.

"Really?" she asked. "Is it in the Potions or the Herbology section?"

Kiyoko Shimizu, the most beautiful girl in the entire world, smiled down at her. "Herbology. Here, let me."

Shimizu flicked her wand at a nearby stack, reciting off a title, and the book flew down and landed in her hands. She handed it to Yachi.

Yachi smiled. "Thanks, Kiyoko."

Shimizu simply nodded. "Anything to help, what has you interested in advanced Healing today?"

Yachi blushed, wondering if there was any way to explain in a non-worrisome manner that with her friends, she just assumed she'll need advanced Healing sooner rather than later. No, there's probably not a good way, is there?

"It's one of my electives," she hedged truthfully. "Plus, well...I'm considering going in to Quidditch management so, um, it'll help to know more about sports injuries I suppose. Because, you know, Quidditch and, ah, _danger!_"

In Yachi's opinion, one of the very best things about Shimizu was that the older girl was somehow able to hear all of Yachi's jumbled up word mess on a frequent basis and still smile at her like she just said the most intelligent thing on the planet.

"Of course," Shimizu paused. "I didn't know you wanted to be a Quidditch manager., Hitoka. I love Quidditch."

Yachi shrugged. "It's a new thing. Hinata and Kageyama are talking about trying to go pro."

"So, you're doing it for your friends?"

There was no judgement in the statement, only curiosity, but, for some reason, Yachi found herself babbling. "Well, partly. I mean my dad really liked Quidditch so I, ah," she looks down at her feet, "it's familiar, you know?"

Shimizu smiled. "I do."

"Right." Yachi blushed again and mentally decided to expand her long held theory that Shimizu was actually an angel sent to Hogwarts to help shy, awkward Gryffindors.

She swallowed. "So, um, you think it's a good idea?"

"I think," Shimizu said, "that you'll be wonderful at anything you do, Hitoka."

"...oh."

A tiny bell rang at the library desk before Yachi could find out if spontaneous combustion by blush was a legitimate cause of death.

Shimizu frowned apologetically. "I'm sorry, Hitoka, that's my shift. I'll be at the front desk if you need anything." She threw in one last smile. "I hope you enjoy the book."

And, then, she was gone, leaving just the slightest hint of jasmine perfume to linger because life was unfair to Yachi like that.

Yachi hid her face in the book until she could maybe get the whole being a functional human thing under control again.

It didn't last long.

"Hate to disturb you."

"Eep!"

Yachi flailed, dropping the book and hearing it land on the table with a loud _whap! _as she turned to look at the distinctly amused face of Professor Rezei.

"Um, sorry," Yachi said, eyeing the book to make sure it didn't get scuffed.

"Don't worry too much." Rezei winked. "Only book that stays in perfect condition is a book that doesn't get read much. Sad life for a book."

Yachi sighed. "I don't think the library has the same policy."

"Fair point," he agreed before clearing his throat. "Actually, I was hoping I'd run into you."

"Me?" She frowned. "Is this about the Fumos Charm? I've almost got it down perfectly now, maybe just a little more practice."

"Glad to hear." He paused. "But, actually, this is about what you asked me about on the train. Your father."

Yachi felt her heart skip a beat then overcompensate by beating double time.

She swallowed. "You...you'll really tell me about him?"

"If you'd like," he said solemnly.

"Yes."

Rezei nodded before pausing, mouth tuning down in thought. "How to describe Naoki Yachi….," he smiled, rolling his eyes slightly, "well, for one, your father was always a stereotypical Gryffindor. I'll have to start with that."

"Really," Yachi asked.

Rezei grinned. "Definitely. It was amazing. Always the first to try something, even when we were kids. Especially if it was stupid and dangerous. All the other pureblood kids were either terrified or jealous." He shook his head, contemplatively. "Personally, I think it was a bit to spite his parents. The Yachi's were always an overprotective lot. Naoki _hated _it, rebelled against it every chance he could get, even when he was an adult. I suppose you can guess how your grandparents could yell about that?"

"I….," Yachi frowned. "I've never met my grandparents. I didn't know they were still alive."

"Oh." Rezei sobered, looking down. "No, I suppose...I suppose you wouldn't have. They went into seclusion after he died."

Rezei didn't say anything more and Yachi panicked. "What about my mother? How did he meet her?"

Rezei blinked, looking up again as his expression cleared. "Ah, your mother...They always knew each other. Her and your aunt. They all met as children at those blasted society events all the Heads of Houses always attend." He smiled. "It's funny, actually. Your mother was always more of the quiet type, serious, smart. No surprise she went into law, she practically learned to read from a dictionary. Your aunt, though? She was a bit wilder. Her and Naoki used to challenge each other on the stupidest things. One time, she accidentally stuck him as a toad for days."

"My aunt?"

Rezei nodded, voice falling until he's almost speaking to himself. "You should have known her. It's a crime that you didn't get the chance." He shook himself and when he looked up, his mouth was back to a smile. "Anyway, everyone always thought that Naoki would end up with Kirika." He laughed. "Ridiculous, they were always just friends. Naoki was half in love with your mother ever since they were five and Madoka pushed him into a pond for grandstanding."

Yachi ran her finger along the wood of the table, not meeting his eyes. "She never talks about him. Or my aunt. She never tells me anything."

"Yachi...Hitoka."

She looked up to see Rezei regarding her with a solemn expression

"The thing you have to understand about your mother is that she loved you and your father more than anything in this world." He sighed. "Love blinds people, though, sometimes...just because you love someone, it means you make the wrong choices."

Yachi frowned. "Is that why you don't want her to know you're telling me about my father?"

"Partly," Rezei admitted. "More I just don't want to hurt her more….she's had enough pain in her life."

For a second, Yachi almost asked more. But, she had a feeling that was all the professor would say.

"Thank you," she said instead. "For telling me, anyway."

Rezei smiled. "If anyone deserves to know, it's you."

ooooooo

Sitting in the Great Hall, Oikawa narrowed his eyes. "It's just suspicious. That's all I'm saying."

"It's not suspicious, it's a blessing," Suga corrected. "Stop questioning it."

Oikawa frowned. "You see you say that, Suga, and then we'll wake up and the dorm is on fire and there's screaming and maybe at least one person's dead and you think to yourself 'oh gee, if only I listened to poor, ignored Oikawa then none of this would have happened.'"

Suga laughed. "If it makes you feel better, I can absolutely promise I will never think 'I should have listened to Oikawa.'"

"Rude, Suga!"

Iwaizumi yawned, sliding into a seat across from them. "What are we supposed to be ignoring Oikawa about this time?"

"Also rude!" Oikawa huffed. "Screw this, I'm going to go become best friends with Daishou!"

"Oh, please," Kuroo snorted, joining them with Bokuto on his right, "you'd kill each other within five days!"

Oikawa sniffed. "Well, at least I'd see it coming….unlike with _some people_."

"I'm sure whatever Makki and Matsu are planning, it's not going to kill us," Suga said, biting down on a smile.

Oikawa sighed. "I pity your naivete."

Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow. "What's going on with Matsu and Makki this time?"

"They're too _quiet_!" Oikawa slammed his hand on the table. "I haven't heard them say anything in two weeks! Not even an insult! They're planning something big and I'm going to find out what!"

"Oh!" Bokuto grinned. "I can find out! You know...psychically_!_"

The entire table exchanged a look.

Bokuto pouted. "Come on, guys, _everyone's _supposed to be able to pull off one! I just need _one time! _One! This is it! I can feel it!"

Suga offered a small smile. "Well, it can't hurt."

"Yes!" Bokuto's hand flew to his head, adopting an expression of intense concentration. "Um, just give me a second."

Iwaizumi turned to Oikawa. "Have you thought that maybe they're trying to drive you crazy by _not _doing anything?"

Oikawa's made to object before, suddenly, his mouth clicked closed.

He glared. "They _would _do that, wouldn't they?"

"Or maybe," Kuroo smirked, "you've finally come to accept your inevitable defeat in our bet and the utter devastation has caused you to crack."

Oikawa snorted, twirling his wand in his hand. "Can't be. The bet would have to challenge me first."

"Yeah?" Kuroo leaned forward. "Then, how's your Arithmancy homework coming?"

Oikawa paled. "Merlin, I'm pretty sure the last few questions aren't even in English. _Or _Mermish, I checked."

"Math is it's own language," Kuroo agreed, morosely. He bumped his shoulder into Bokuto. "Hey, Bo, finished your Arithmancy homework yet?"

"Huh? We had Arithmancy-" Bokuto's eyes widened before he slammed them shut again, waving them away. "I mean, shush, I'm concentrating!"

Suga raised an eyebrow. "He hasn't even started it has he?"

"Not a chance," Iwaizumi agreed.

"Professor Yamiji's going to eat him alive," Kuroo said.

"Oh, definitely," Oikawa concluded.

"I got it!" Bokuto yelled, "Makki and Matsu are quiet because...they're not doing anything!"

"Iwaizumi guessed that already!" Kuroo threw a biscuit at him.

Bokuto caught the biscuit in his mouth.

"Vhich wust wean 'm wright," he said through the biscuit.

Suga shook his head. "That definitely doesn't count."

"Does, too!"

ooooooo

_To the Headmaster, Hogwarts' Board, and all others it may concern,_

_This letter signifies an official notification that the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, pursuant under the Ministry of Magic, has received your notification of the boggart colony residing in the Forbidden Forest. An official Ministry exterminator will be dispatched shortly to begin the banishment process. Please respond with a confirmation that the exterminator will be allowed on the Hogwarts' grounds._

_Thank you. We at the Ministry appreciate your continued support and wish to remind all that a greater wizarding society takes everyone._

_Sincerely,_

_The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures_

_The Beings Division_

_Room 785, Level 4_

_Ministry of Magic_

"The enemy." Noya points at the letter, tacked on a hastily constructed board in the fourth year boy's dorm.

Ennoshita squints. "Wait, how did you get that?"

Noya waves him away. "The mission, should you choose to accept-"

"Oh, we have a choice now," Tsukishima drawled.

"-is simple," Noya puffs up his chest. "The preservation of the entire magical world as we know it."

"That really doesn't sound simple," Yamaguchi noted.

Daichi rolled his eyes. "He said simple, not easy."

"No, seriously," Ennoshita said, "how did you get that letter?"

"We staked out Headmaster Ukai's office until we convinced him." Tanaka frowned. "Actually, I think it was mostly to get us to leave but-"

"But he eventually saw the purity of our plight and gave us the letter," Noya finished before pausing, "and a detention."

Daichi pinched his nose and sighed loudly.

"So, um," Asahi piped up, "next is filling the injunction, right?"

"Right!" Noya beamed and Asahi ducked his head down, awkwardly. "Under the Creature Protection Act of 1504, the Ministry legally can't do anything if the injunction goes through. We fight the system _with _the system. Like a rebellion!"

"I'm fairly sure a rebellion has less paperwork," Yamaguchi said. "And less reading."

Sensing another hair going grey, Ennoshita stepped in before Noya could get sidetracked. "Noya, you've had us reading more magical law than we've had school work, what do we do next?"

"Weeeelllllll," Noya winced, "um, we might need to write a small-tiny, really-proposal to the Ministry...and fill out the injunction paperwork. Easy, really."

The entire room looked at him skeptically.

"And how long is this 'small proposal' supposed to be," Tsukishima asked lowly.

"Just a couple hundred pages normally," Noya said cheerfully.

"_A couple hundred?!"_

"Really practically nothing if you compare it to the lives we're saving. Right, guys," Noya finished.

Yamaguchi groaned "How long's the paperwork?"

Noya rubbed the back of his neck. "...um, long."

Tsukishima turned to Daichi. "I changed my mind. Can we please go back to a dragon?"

"Too late," Daichi deadpanned.

ooooooo

"You know," Suga said, watching as the liquid turned from a dark green to a pale blue, "you've really gotten quite good at this."

Hinata beamed. "Thanks, Suga!"

Suga smiled back. "Good enough that you don't technically need me here to help you."

"But," Hinata said, frowning in confusion, "I _like _you helping me, Suga! Unless...I mean, unless you don't want to anymore or…"

Suga ruffled his hair. "Relax, Hinata, I just wanted you to know you're improving. I'm here as long as you want."

"Until you graduate," Hinata argued cheekily, stirring until the cauldron started to bubble. "Besides, I'm nowhere near as good at Potions as Kageyama. He's _amazing_! Even better than Yachi!"

Suga hummed. "Wait until next year. Professor Irihata will probably ask him to help out with the muggleborn first years."

"Really?"

"If he wants to." Suga watched as Hinata changed hands, rotating his free hand and wincing slightly. "How's your wrist? Oikawa said you broke it in the fall."

"It's fine." Hinata shrugged. "Professor Nekomata just said it'll be sore for awhile. Something about magic only being a tool or a plant or something. I don't know."

Suga rolled his eyes. "'Magic is only a tool for healing, the body still has to grow.' It means magic can only do so much in healing."

Hinata huffed, rooting around in his potion kit for the next ingredient. "Then, why can't he just say that?"

"He does like his metaphors," Suga agreed, watching Hinata.

Hinata threw in a handful of leaves. "Well, I think-"

"_ARRESTO MOMENTO DUO!"_

The leaves stopped a centimeter before they hit the potion and Suga snatched them out, moving them far, _far _away from the potion, eyes still wide.

"Um, Suga," Hinata said cautiously.

"Hinata, this is _mistletoe leaves_!"

Hinata frowned, holding up the potion containers. "No, it's supposed to be holly?"

Suga grabbed the container, examining it in the light. "This is...this is mislabeled….Hinata, where do you get your potions ingredients?"

"Um, Diagon Alley," Hinata tilted his head. "Wait, why?"

Suga gripped the container, frowning.

"Because adding mistletoe to a babbling potion is a very, very bad idea," he said softly. "Deadly."

ooooooo

Deep in a dark section of one of the most dangerous forests in Great Britain, Noya made cooing noises at what appeared to be a nest full of Cobras.

"Aww, look how big you've gotten," Noya said. "You're even starting to separate some, aren't you guys?"

The snakes hissed in unison, dissolving into a black mask before a demented looking clown doll laid on the ground. On second glance, the doll seemed to ooze blood and the distant sound of manic laughter drifted through the clearing.

"Look at that detail," Noya gushed. "Someone likes showing off, don't they?"

The sound of a throat clearing interrupted his thoughts.

Noya turned. "Hey. Oh, man, is it time for dinner already?"

"Nah, we got time." Tanaka rubbed the back of his neck. "I just...kind of wanted to talk to you...about the boggarts."

"Yeah?"

"Bro, it's just you just seem a little...," Tanaka floundered for a word, "ah, intense about them this time. Like even more than usual. Like even more than _Rolling Thunder!_"

Noya hesitated. "They need help!"

Tanaka held up his hands in surrender. "Hey, you _know _I get that. And I'm with you until the end. You and me, bro, fly or die." He sighed. "But, come on, you've been out here more than our dorm and practically all the time you spend there is reading the magical law books. I just want to know what's different about the boggarts?"

Noya looked down, frowning. On the forest floor, the clown doll melted once again to a black mass, expanding slowly as it tried to find a shape.

Noya took a deep breath and remind himself that this was Tanaka. _Tanaka. _That if anyone would understand it was him.

"It's just boggarts are...you know," Noya didn't look up to meet his eyes, "everyone hates them. _Everyone. _Just for being how they are. Just for doing something that they can't even control. They _hate _them. The Ministry tries to ki-tries to get rid of them." He was talking faster now, rambling. "They're just _misunderstood_, okay? No one even wants to give them a chance. And, instead, everyone thinks they're this dangerous monster when really they just want to protect-"

"Bro," Tanaka interrupted. "Noya, is this about...you know?"

"What," he denied immediately. "No, of course not!"

Tanaka stared at him

The back mass of the bogarts started to shift more restlessly.

Noya slumped.

"I don't know," he lied. "Maybe. Is that...is that bad?"

A hand on his shoulder caused Noya to look up and when he did, Tanaka smiled. "Nah, man, makes perfect sense."

Some of the tension dropped from his frame. "Really?"

"Of course." Tanaka paused, smile falling momentarily. "I mean...as long as you know that they're not...that it's not-"

"I know," Noya cut him off. He tried to pull up a small smile. "Trust me, I know."

Tanaka nodded, firmly just once, and then his grin was back. "We're going to save them, Noya. Got it? We're going to do everything we can, bro. I promise!"

Noya knew he would get it.

"You coming back to the castle with me," Tanaka asked, the seriousness of one moment fading back into the usual routine with the ease of familiarity.

"Nah, going to stay here for awhile."

"Kay." Tanaka waved lazily, heading back to the path. "Don't miss dinner or Daichi will murder you."

Noya snorted. "He always says that."

He waited until Tanaka had disappeared into the forest before looking down at the black mass of the bogarts, still growing unsteadily as dark tendrils started to form coarse hair and bright eyes. The low scent of blood stuck in the clearing.

Noya purposefully shoved his thoughts away, focusing, projecting until all that was left was a pile of mushy looking Brussels sprouts.

Noya grinned. "Almost got me there."

The vegetable shifted back into a giant snake and slithered almost happily up Noya's arm as he scratched under their chin.

"Cute," he said fondly.

A branch snapped somewhere behind him.

Noya didn't look away from the boggarts. "Hey, bro, didn't want to face Daichi alone?"

"Um...it's not Tanaka."

Noya turned, already grinning because he'd know that timid voice anywhere.

Asahi gave a small smile in return. "Sorry if I scared you."

Noya snorted. "Asahi, I'm pretty sure you couldn't scare me if you tired."

Asahi blushed like the giant, strong actually-a-personified-marshmallow that he is.

Noya's smile edged a bit towards goofy.

_Reasons why he loved Asahi (an incomplete list): #212 His blush._

"Did Daichi send you," he asked.

Asahi shook his head. "No, I just didn't want you to miss dinner."

"Aww, always looking out for me!"

_Reason #502._

"Well...um," Asahi stammered. "I mean just didn't want you to get hungry."

"Thanks." Noya took pity on him, stepping forward with the boggarts still wrapped around his arm.

Asahi eyed them warily before slowly, gently, extending his hand until the could scratch against the snake's head. The snake hissed softly in gratitude.

Noya watched them. _Reason #45: Because he's the kindest person on the planet._

"You know," Asahi said, holding his hand steady as the boggart nudged against his hand, "they're kind of sweet once you get used to them."

Noya nodded. "People always talk about boggarts scare us but no one ever thinks about how we scare them."

Asahi gave him a look that, even with his vast experience in Asahi watching, Noya couldn't quite interpret.

"What?"

Asahi shook his head. "Nothing….you're just...well, you're not like anyone else, Noya."

"In a good way," Noya teased.

"The best!" Asahi blurted, before catching up with what he said and blushing even harder.

Noya grinned. _See Reason #212._

And then, he sighed, crouching down and urging the boggarts to crawl back to the ground. "Guess it is about time for dinner, huh?"

"I can walk back with you," Asahi offered immediately.

"My hero!"

"Shut up," Asahi muttered, but patiently waited until Noya was done with his admittedly somewhat extravagant farewell to the boggarts nest, promising to come see them first thing in the morning.

The sun was already setting by the time they started through the forest.

"Daichi's going to kill us," Asahi sighed.

Noya bumped into his shoulder."You'll protect me, right, Asahi?"

"Against Daichi?" Asahi shook his head. "No, you're on your own."

Noya laughed.

For a second, they both walked in quiet, letting the soft living sounds of the forest creep around them.

Unsurprisingly, Noya broke it first. "Thanks, by the way."

"For what?"

"The boggarts," Noya answered, "thanks for agreeing to help even though I know you guys don't really want to hang around them that much."

Asahi blinked down at him, looking almost confused. "But, it's important to _you._ Besides, of course, we would." Asahi shrugged as if it was easy. "They need help."

Noya felt his heart beat just a second out of tune.

_Reason #1: Because he's Asahi._

Truthfully, the first reason's always been enough.

ooooooo

Sitting on one of their beds across the dorm, Makki and Matsu whispered to each other, throwing a pointed glance at Oikawa, before going right back to whispering again.

Oikawa barely avoided throwing a pillow at them.

"You can forget it, you know." He glared. "Iwa-chan figured it out. I know you're just doing it to mess with me."

Twin smirks met his statement and Oikawa gave in to throwing that pillow.

The door to the dorm opened, bringing salvation to Oikawa's remaining sanity and carrying a basic potion's kit.

"Suga," Oikawa called, "tell Makki and Matsu to stop driving me insane!"

Suga spared the two a glance. "I've given up on the impossible."

Makki blew him a kiss.

Oikawa rolled his eyes, finally focusing on what he was carrying. "Why do you have a spare potion's kit?"

"It's not a spare, it's Hinata's," Suga answered, unbuckling the kit to lay various bottles along his desk. "I'm checking his ingredients. I think he got a bad batch."

"Why?" Oikawa came to stand next to him.

"They sent him mistletoe instead of holly," Suga said, already distracted with analyzing a bottle. "I caught it while we were making babbling potions."

Oikawa raised an eyebrow. "Mistletoe in a babbling potion's incredibly toxic."

"Why do you think I'm checking the kit?"

Oikawa didn't say anything, staying silent long enough for Suga to look up.

"What?"

"Nothing," Oikawa said. "Absolutely nothing."

At least not until he had proof.

Once was a coincidence. Twice...was a threat.

ooooooo

A/N: Hey, guys, I'm running a bit late on responding to comments but they should all be answered tomorrow. As always, I appreciate absolutely all of you and thank you for your continued support. Also, get ready, things are about to start moving a lot faster...

Next Chapter: Hogsmeade


	8. Hogsmeade

A/N: PLEASE READ: Warning, this chapter has more angst than usual including bad parenting and resulting anxiety.

_ooooooo_

_November 21, 1998_

_Faculty: Headmaster Ikkei Ukai_

_Student(s): Naoki Yachi and Kirika Uragiri_

_Two detentions awarded and twenty points each taken from both Slytherin and Gryffindor for being out after curfew and using the Quidditch field at improper hours. In addition, fifteen points awarded to Madoka Uragiri for keeping either of the idiots_ _from breaking their necks._

Sitting in the library, far too early for a Saturday morning, Yachi followed the text with a small smile.

Five detentions just in the first few months alone, five stories that Yachi had never gotten to hear before. She wondered if it was strange that she was so absurdly grateful that her father and aunt seemed to be something of troublemakers.

It was something, though. Finally, finally, just a tiny glimpse into people she'd never get to know. People who, by all accounts, were brave and reckless and daring and _fun _and...well, all the things that Yachi could never really see herself being.

She wondered...she wondered what _he'd_ think of _her_? What her aunt, her godmother, would think of her?

She hoped they wouldn't be too disappointed.

"Yachi!"

Yachi jumped, looking up from the records books just as a blur of orange swung into the seat next to her.

Walking at a more sedate pace, Kageyama yawned, more falling than sitting in the chair across.

She blinked. "What are you guys doing up so early?"

"I'm always up this early!" Hinata beamed.

"He's _always _up this early," his roommate said, far more withering and already half asleep on the table.

"The real question is why are you up and," Hinata eyed the book, scrunching up his nose, "reading old detention records?"

"Just look." Yachi slid the book over to him.

Hinata took it, starting to read until he came to the names. He looked up at her, eyes wide.

She smiled, nodding. "It's my dad. And my aunt. Professor Rezei was telling me stories about them and...well, I decided to look here." She laughed. "It, um, looks like they got a lot of detentions. But, well, it's something, you know?"

Hinata reached out, grabbing her hand as he slid back the book.

"That's amazing, Yachi," he said, for once, completely serious.

Yachi took a deep breath. "Thank you."

When she looked up again, Hinata was gazing around the library with an almost distant look in his eyes.

"You know," she said, "maybe one of these record books has something about your parents in it. I can look if you'd like?"

Hinata waved her away. "Don't worry about it. I already checked my first year. Even got a library assistant to help me, no Hinatas. If they were magical, they didn't go to Hogwarts." He grinned. "Guess it's just a mystery."

Yachi cleared her throat, trying to find something to say, when Hinata tapped the book. "So, what else did you find? Other than that they liked Quidditch which makes them super cool already."

"Here, I'll show you," she said excitedly before pausing with a frown, "wait, you never said, why _are _you here so early?"

"To get you! Duh!" Hinata hit Kageyama back awake. "It's our first Hogsmeade weekend!"

Yachi's eyes widened. "Oh! I'm sorry, I forgot...we can go now if you-"

"Nah." Hinata looked down at the book and grinned. "_This_ first."

Yachi blinked, then slowly smiled back.

ooooooo

Laying face down on a book, Daichi checked once to ascertain that yes, he was in fact completely alone, before letting out a truly pathetic sounding groan.

"Well, that doesn't sound optimistic."

Daichi's head shot up, pages still sticking to his face.

He narrowed his eyes. "It's creepy how you sneak up like that."

"Slytherin." Suga shrugged unrepentant. "Besides, sneaking up on people is how I got most of my friends."

"You know I really can't tell if you're joking or not," Daichi mused.

"And you never will," Suga said before looking down at the pages, thankfully only slightly crinkled by Daichi's face. "Working on the proposal for Noya, then?"

"It's endless," Daichi moaned. "We divided it so it's only twenty or so pages each and it's still endless, Suga."

Suga smiled sympathetically. "Yes, well, it is magical law."

He paused momentarily, sliding the sheets over. "Here, let me help. I've been studying some of the Ministry statutes myself recently, I think I can help interpret."

"Wait, really," Daichi asked, too awestruck to even care that he sounded close to desperate.

Suga smirked. "I've got a few hours before I have to meet everyone at the Three Broomsticks."

"You're amazing," Daichi said, head falling back on the library table. "Suga, have I mentioned lately how you're the best boyfriend a guy could ask for?"

Suga leaned down for a soft kiss. "Once or twice but I suppose I could hear it again."

Daichi reached forward and pulled him in for a longer kiss. "You're amazing. Also, why were you looking into Ministry statutes?"

Suga laughed. "I keep telling you. You're not the only one with crazy friends."

ooooooo

Iwaizumi glared. Oikawa smirked back.

In other words, it was the normal state of things.

"How did you even get in here," Iwaizumi huffed as Oikawa stretched out on his bed like a cat in the sun.

"Oh, please, like it's hard?" Oikawa snorted. "Gryffindor has the _worst _dorm security ever. Even _Hufflepuff's_ better at it and their common room's open to everyone."

Because he couldn't really deny that, Iwaizumi settled for continuing to glare.

"Really, the only thing I actually had to worry about was whether your dormmates would be here." Oikawa looked around. "Where are they, by the way?"

Iwaizumi decided to give up, shoving at Oikawa until he moved over enough to let him sit on the bed. "How should I know? Asahi's probably in the second year dorm, Daichi's either there or with Suga, and Kamasaki's probably doing whatever people without headache causing friends normally do. Lucky him."

Oikawa hummed, smiling in a way that was particularly infuriating.

"What," Iwaizumi demanded.

"You'd hate doing normal stuff, Iwa-chan. You'd be so booooored."

"How would you know? You never let me try."

"'Cause I _know _you." Oikawa propped up on his elbow, looking down at him. "Duh."

Iwaizumi tried to hit him with a pillow. Oikawa just laughed and evaded.

"Why do you think you're a Gryffindor," he continued. "You _like _adventure, the excitement. You like to complain; but, both you and Suga are just as bad as the rest of us."

Iwaizumi frowned. "Take it back. We're not that bad!"

"_You are!"_ Oikawa singsongs, finally laying back and closing his eyes. He hums again. "Face it, Iwa-chan, you'd be soooo very, very bored without me. You've got too much of a saving people thing."

Iwaizumi watched him for a moment. "That why do you make it harder for me?"

"I don't."

"You _do._"

Oikawa laughed, still not opening his eyes. "If i made it harder for you-and that's a big _if, _Iwa-chan-then, the only thing you'd have to blame for _that _is that you're you and I'm me and that's just the way it's going to be."

Iwaizumi was already halfway to a denial before he realized he didn't quite know what he was arguing.

Instead, he nudged Oikawa's foot. "Get up, we're going to be late meeting Kuroo's dad."

"Oh no, how terrible" Oikawa said dryly, but he did get up anyway.

Iwaizumi gave him a weird look. "Why do you say it like that?"

"Just a feeling."

ooooooo

If making a list of things he didn't want to do, this ranked pretty freaking high.

The momentary silence as his father chewed thoughtfully was simultaneously stuffy and the most welcome part of the entire meal. Kuroo almost found himself wishing that either of them would do something as uncouth as scrape their utensils against the plate. At least that would be a preferable alternative to both the silence and his father's attempts at small talk.

Unfortunately, even quiet couldn't last too long.

His father finished his bite. "I take it you've made progress on integrating yourself to the Yamaguchi and Tsukishima families?"

Kuroo nodded. "I got an invitation to the Tsukishima's Christmas party."

His father smiled, looking pleased. Kuroo decided not to tell him that the invitation had come at exactly zero political maneuvering on his part and was probably much more due to events that had transpired long before his father had ever suggested he make a connection.

"And your classes?"

Kuroo rolled his eyes. "I should still be on track for all O's, even with Arithmancy."

"Excellent. Quidditch?"

"We beat Gryffindor by ten points last week," he reported, allowing a small amount of actual satisfaction to drift through. "Even with them getting the Snitch."

"Hmm," his father paused between bites. "You know I was fairly against you taking on Quidditch during your second year, I thought it would be better for you to focus on your studies, but it really is shaping up to be an excellent opportunity. I don't suppose you've reached out to any of the Slytherin team members, have you? Some old families there. Powerful families."

Kuroo squeezed tightly on his fork. "They're assholes."

"Don't judge people before you get to know them, son. Not all Slytherin's are the same, take your friends."

"I know," he gritted out. "That's how I know that the guys on the Slytherin team are assholes." He sighed. "Why do you even care? Most of those families are Traditionalists, anyway."

His father sighed. "Allies are useful on either side of the line. How do you think politics work? It's all about looking like the more favorable option. People trust what they know."

Kuroo stabbed at his plate. "Yeah, then, how do things change?"

"They don't," his father said, moving to reflective. "Not really. All they do is shift until the words become more palatable. Same philosophy, new branding."

"Doesn't seem good enough," Kuroo muttered.

Ozuro smiled. "Don't be a revolutionary, son. Historically, they have a very, very short life span and I raised you better than that."

Kuroo looked down to hide his glare.

That was the worst thing about his father, really. It would be so much easier to just _avoid _him if he was actually as dumb as he so often sounded. No, instead, the tragedy of it was his father was probably one of the sharpest men Kuroo's knew. And, just as utterly incapable of deigning to look at anything past his own nose.

That combination was always dangerous. Kuroo understood that more than anyone.

Ozuro laid his utensils down on an empty plate and looked up at his son. "Speaking of Quidditch, your mother showed me the paper of your last game. You didn't tell me the Kozume boy was on the team?"

Only years of practice caused Kuroo not to freeze up, instead rolling the tension into an uncaring shrug. "It's a popular sport. Lot of people like it."

"Yes, but not everyone's a fellow teammate." His father sighed. "Honestly, Tetsuro, if you aren't going to make friends with the Slytherin team, the _least _you could do is get closer to your fellow teammates. Especially our _neighbors. _You two used to be so close when you were children."

"People lose contact" Kuroo said, smoothing his face into an annoyed frown. "We've changed. Kenma's _quiet, _I wouldn't even know what to talk to him about."

"Quidditch apparently," Ozuro pressed.

Kuroo rolled his eyes. "I don't think I've even said ten words to him in _years. _Even with Quidditch. Not everyone's going to be a valuable ally."

"Well, maybe if you tried just a bit harder." Ozuro shook his head. "He's a metamorphmagus, son. Do you have any clue how rare that is? It's even rarer than Legilimency."

"And if I see a chance, I'll take it," Kuroo lied through his teeth. "But, until then just drop it, okay? Kid barely talks to anyone anyway. He's not worth the hassle."

Ozuro sighed. "A pity. You know really that's where the blood purist always get it so wrong. The keep talking about protecting magic as if it's all about how far you can trace back a bloodline. And what does that get you? Just blood curses and inbreeding. Instead, you look at powerful families, the ones who actually _succeed, _and what do you see? It's not history, son, that's just the most common excuse. It's _connections._" He smiled, sharp almost predatory. "You tell me, Tetsuro, what do you call the man who has the most powerful people in the world in his corner?"

"The most powerful man," Kuroo answers dully.

"Exactly." His father's smile softens. "That's what I'm building for you, son. For _us. _I just hope you one day find the ambition to seize it."

Kuroo doesn't say anything.

Ozuro stood, wiping his mouth. "Now, let's get started, shall we? I still have your friends to meet, after all. I don't have all day. Pity we can't talk longer."

"It's Hogsmeade weekend, Dad. They're busy," Kuroo lied, standing as he tried to postpone the inevitable. "Come on, they're probably down stairs already."

His father hummed, pacified, and quickly set off to the tavern's staircase, Kuroo following steadily behind.

Kuroo saw them before his father. Iwaizumi, Suga, Oikawa, and Bokuto all talking right outside the bar, laughing and at ease while Kuroo felt like a guy about to watch a train crash.

He hated this. He _hated _this because it was all going to go exactly like-

"Hello," his father greeted happily. "You must be my son's friends! So great to meet you, Tertsuro's told me so much about you! I'm Ozuro Kuroo, but you, of course, call me Ozuro." He winked at his son. "I understand my son's already claimed the family name."

-like this.

Bokuto stuck out his hand first, enthusiastic grin already in place. "Nice to meet you, sir."

"Kotaro Bokuto, I assume," Ozuro said, shaking his hand. "I saw your picture in the paper. Great game against Slytherin, by the way."

Bokuto blinked, caught off guard for all of a second. "Thanks! Yeah, it was awesome! I thought you were a Slytherin, though?"

Ozuro waved the worry away. "Sure, sure, but my wife played for Hufflepuff. And either way, I prefer to enjoy a well played game without House politics weighing me down. Wouldn't you say?"

He directed the last question to Oikawa and Suga, both wearing their House scarves

"Have to agree." Suga smiled. "Koushi Sugawara, sir."

"Of course, I should have guessed by the hair. I used to serve on the Wizengamot with your parents." He frowned. "Back when they still used their family seat, that is."

Suga shrugged, easily enough that only someone watching very closely could detect the discomfort. "They preferred to step away from politics a couple years after I was born. Different priorities."

No one mentioned how that also coincided with the fall of the Giant.

"Meh, for the best anyway." Bokuto slung an arm around Suga. "All that political stuff gets boring. That's why my parents just leave it to Great-Aunt Ena."

Suga offered him a small but grateful smile.

"Well, that's certainly the truth," his father agrees with a wink. "Take it from me, back when I first started at the Ministry, I had to take two Pick-Me-Up potions before every meeting."

"Really," Bokuto asked.

Ozuro laughed. "Trust me, if you think classes can get boring, wait until you see some of those old bats at the Ministry drone on. Pick-Me-Up is a way of survival."

Kuroo sets his teeth and doesn't say anything.

"Sounds like Oikawa," Iwaizumi said, elbowing the teen in question, staying oddly quiet so far.

Ozuro's eyes landed on him. "Ah, got another with a bit of a problem with Pick-Me-Up, I see. I'll tell you, son, you're in good company here."

Oikawa smiled just a bit sharply. "I wouldn't call it a problem unless I don't know how to handle it."

"Spoken like a true Slytherin," Ozuro complimented. "You must be Oikawa, then. Congratulations, you caused quite the stir a few years ago. First Slytherin muggleborn in centuries, eh? Quite the accomplishment."

Oikawa shrugged. "If that caused a stir, maybe things need to be shaken up a bit more."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Ozuro agreed conspiratorially. "I don't suppose you're going into politics?"

"I haven't decided," Oikawa said.

Ozuro smiled, turning to address all of them. "Then, let an old man like me give you some advice. Wherever you go, Ministry or not, friends-_allies_-are some of the most important things you can have. I'm glad to see my son found some good ones."

Kuroo's fist were squeezed so tightly, his nails dug into his palm.

"Dad, come on," he said, trying to keep his tone mild, "it's almost two, you'll miss your port key."

Annoyance flashed briefly before Ozuro sighed, checking his watch. "I suppose you're right." He turned to the group. "Sorry, I would've loved to chat longer. Tetsuro told me you already had plans so I scheduled a meeting."

Kuroo's heart skipped a beat. _Merlin._

Iwaizumi frowned. "We don't-"

"We don't mind at all," Oikawa finished smoothly. He gave a sheepish smile. "I'm afraid the plans are my fault. I already planned a date and Suga agreed to go double. Sorry, we definitely would have moved them if we knew you were coming. Maybe next time?"

"Next time," Ozuro agreed, looking appeased. He chuckled slightly. "I suppose I should have known better than to try to plan around young love."

He turned to Kuroo, pulling him briefly into a hug. "Goodbye, son. I'll give your mother your love."

"Thanks," Kuroo muttered into his shoulder.

"Remember what we talked about," his father whispered before pulling back and pivoting to the rest. "And lovely to meet the rest of you, as well. We'll have to talk more soon."

"Of course, sir," Suga agreed.

Ozuro gave one last charming smile before turning back onto the street and slowly disappearing back into the crowd.

A few minutes passed and Kuroo finally felt like he could breathe again.

Suga hummed. "So, he seems...nice."

The breath stuttered in Kuroo's chest.

"He's not," Kuroo ground out.

Suga gave him an odd look, about to say something, before Iwaizumi beat him to the punch, turning to Oikawa. "Since when do you have a date tonight?"

"I don't," Oikawa replied easily.

Suga raised an eyebrow. "Oh, darn, that's going to make the double date fairly difficult then. _Especially,_ since me and Daichi didn't know about it either."

Oikawa smirked. "Hey, Suga, if you really wanted that double date, I'm sure I could find someone!"

"Wait, so we aren't busy?" Bokuto frowned, looking between Kuroo and Oikawa. "Then, why'd you tell your dad we are?"

"So we wouldn't have to talk to him," Kuroo replied shortly, already pushing back to the castle, the _opposite _way his father went.

The rest of the group exchanged looks before hurrying to catch up with him.

"He didn't seem that bad," Iwaizumi said carefully.

Kuroo scowled. "He is."

"...okay." Suga frowned.

Kuroo hunched his shoulders, speeding up through the street as if being literally further would help anything. Slowly the crowd thinned away until it was only the five of them, trudging through the snow on the way back to the castle.

"Merlin, slow down for a second," Iwaizumi said, grabbing his arm

"What's so bad about your dad," Bokuto asked.

"EVERYTHING!" Kuroo finally snapped, jerking Iwaizumi off with the force of it. He ran an aggravated hand through his hair. "You don't get it! No one but me ever gets it!"

"Gets what," Suga demanded.

Kuroo shook his head. "Merlin, it's _always _like this. Every bloody time. I don't know why I bother, it's always the same. Just wasted time." An idea slowly took root. "Or...maybe not _entirely _wasted."

He pulled the time turner out from under his robes.

Bokuto frowned. "Bro, what are you doing?"

"Getting away from this," Kuroo muttered, already mentally calculating the turns. "Always said talking to Dad was a waste. This time, I actually get those hours _back_."

"You're kidding me?" Iwaizumi huffed. "What? That's it? You yell some vague crap about us not getting it and then, you're just going to ditch us?"

Suga stepped forward. "Maybe we should-"

"Let him go."

Everyone turned to stare.

Oikawa shrugged, infuriatingly calm. "Let him use the time turner. He wants to leave so bad, might as well let him."

"Seriously," Iwaizumi questioned.

"Trust me, Iwa-chan."

And then, Oikawa looked at Kuroo and winked. "Do it."

Kuroo frowned, caught between not wanting to question his luck and really, _really _wanting to question it because nothing with Oikawa was ever that easy.

He used the time turner.

Around him, the world dissolved in a blur of white. His ears popped. And when he opened his eyes again, he was standing on a significantly less snow covered road with the sun not quite fully risen.

He was alone.

He stuffed the time turner back in his robes. Great. Perfect. Alone, exactly what he wanted to be.

For some reason, the wind seemed even colder on his walk back to the castle.

It was barely five in the morning, not even late enough for the portraits to be awake and the house elves to start putting out breakfast. Kuroo stalked through the castle without a single person around. Yeah, great, bloody freaking excellent.

His feet led him to the astronomy tower and, without much thought, he climbed through to the roof to watch the sunrise.

"What are you doing here?"

Kuroo's head jerked up. And then, he groaned.

He _knew _it couldn't have been that easy.

Oikawa cocked his head. "Now, see, I understand the shock of my magnificent presence can make you forget words. But, I think you pronounced 'Joyful morning, my dear friend Oikawa' wrong."

Kuroo groaned again and _louder._ "Merlin, I just used the bloody time turner to get away from all of you." He slumped down against the roof. "What are you even doing on the astronomy roof anyway?"

"Couldn't sleep, watching the stars," Oikawa answered easily before blinking. "So, I take it I'm talking to future Kuroo then?"

He closed his eyes. "Unfortunately. I knew you were too chill about letting me go without talking."

Oikawa hummed. "I'll assume I'll figure out what that means later. But, since apparently the university and destiny are plotting against you, I have to ask: talk about what?"

"I hate destiny."

"Complain to Bokuto. He's the one in Divination."

That at least got Kuroo to snort.

Oikawa waited a second before reaching out to poke him. "So, you gonna tell me or what?"

Kuroo sighed, feeling like the weight of the world rested on the exhale.

"It's my dad," he answered.

"Ah, dads. Bummer." Oikawa frowned before shrugging. "I mean, I assume. What's up with yours?"

"He's just….he's….," Kuroo groaned, putting his face in his hands. "He sucks, okay? He's an asshole and manipulative and sees every bloody thing as chess piece to move around. Everyone he meets is just someone else he can move around to fit _his _plan. He just uses and uses and uses them until their all dried up and, then, he has the nerve to ask them to thank him."

"Sounds like a dick," Oikawa said succinctly.

"And, then, he tries to make it seem like he's doing it all for me when really he's just doing for _himself _and I'm just the unlucky asshole that got born as his heir." Kuroo ground his teeth. "But, the worst part, the bloody _worst _part is that no one else sees it. Not even _Mom. _No one ever gets its. Because you meet him and he's...he's like _that_, he's nice and charming and pretends to care about your interest. But, it's _a lie_. It's all a lie. But, no one wants to believe that. _No. _So, I just look insane and everyone else is just...is trapped."

He doesn't finish so much as his words cut off, leaving him with an empty feeling in his chest and the cold roof against his back.

Across from him, Oikawa hummed. "Okay, so let me get this straight. Your dad sucks, yeah?"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore, Oikawa."

"Too bad. Your dad sucks and he's manipulative, right?

Kuroo groaned. "Yeah."

"But he _seems _super nice and charming so no one ever believes you, yeah?"

"Pretty much." Kuroo closed his eyes again.

"Okay," Oikawa said slowly. "Now, just to check, I'm going to say you didn't tell old us, future us, whatever, any of this and just stormed off like the secret drama king you are?"

Kuroo opened his eyes just enough to glare. "You're a dick. And, no, I didn't. There wasn't any point. You all already _loved _him already. Why waste my breath?"

Oikawa paused, long enough for Kuroo to entertain half a thought that he'd miraculously given up and was going to leave him in peace.

And, then, Oikawa rolled his eyes. "You're an idiot."

"You're an _asshole_," Kuroo shot back, defensively.

"Oh, definitely," Oikawa agreed. "Doesn't change the fact that you still didn't even try to convince your fairly intelligent friends of _three years _that the guy they literally just met was an asshole."

"You wouldn't have believed me," Kuroo yelled.

"Pft, please, you didn't even try." Oikawa looked at him sharply. "And, in case it's escaped your notice, _I _believe you. You know, the guy you've actually sat down and talked to."

Kuroo was half way to a retort before that sentence actually processed and his mouth clicked shut.

He frowned. "You...you believe me?"

"Honestly, you're an actual legilimens. I think I can trust your instincts when you tell me not to trust someone. Not to mention, you're my _friend_." Oikawa grimaced and his tone abruptly softened. "Look, I'm sorry you're dad's a dick. And that apparently you've dealt with jerks who'd rather believe him over you, that...that _sucks,_ but maybe...maybe give it another try?" He shrugged awkwardly in the way he always did when the situation got too close to actual emotions that he couldn't just avoid. "Either way, you already got me, alright?"

Kuroo stared at him.

Oikawa flopped back on the roof, blushing slightly.

Finally, Kuroo smirked. "You know if I didn't know you better, I'd say that was actually wise."

Oikawa snorted. "I'm always wise. But, apparently, I'm on a roll. I think I'm going to go bother Iwa-chan before it wears off."

"No way it'll last that long." Kuroo laid down on the roof beside him, watching the sunrise.

"Asshole."

"Takes one to know one."

Oikawa hit him with a mild shocking jinx.

"Ow!"

Oikawa smirked, eyes never leaving the sky.

Kuroo followed his gaze, muttering under his breath.

"Hey, Oikawa," he asked eventually, once the snow started melting in his hair. "What's your dad like? You've never said?"

Oikawa didn't answer.

"Come on," Kuroo elbowed him, "fair's fair. You made me talk."

"Yeah, yeah," Oikawa said, frowning slightly. "It's just...I have absolutely no idea. I haven't seen him since I was three."

"...Oh." Kuroo winced. "Sorry."

"It's fine." Oikawa waved him off. "Why start caring about him when he obviously isn't caring about me."

"Does that actually work," Kuroo asked.

"Mostly." He winked. "When you don't think about it."

ooooooo

A/N:

Sorry for the delay and thanks to everyone for your patience. This chapter was harder to write than most. With that, I will say that the responses included here in the last scene are intended to be views based on the personal views of the individual characters and _not _necessarily perfect responses to similar situations in real life. As always, thank you so much for all the support I receive on this story and hope you enjoyed! Stuff's about to start going down real soon.

Next Chapter: Things to Come


	9. Things to Come

A/N: Warning for cruelty to owls.

ooooooo

Wind whistled sharply through the small crevices of the Gryffindor Tower followed by a bitter cold that sent the residents, both younger and older students alike, scrambling for their wands to cast a quick warming spell and sealing charm.

Yamaguchi frowned. "The snow's really coming down. I hope they don't cancel the game."

Daichi rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, Professor Oiwake doesn't cancel Quidditch short of a natural disaster."

Another particularly strong gust of wind hit into the tower, obscuring the window in white.

"And maybe not even then," he added.

Noya made a face. "Ugh, snow's the worst for Quidditch games! Have you ever tried to catch a Snitch in this stuff? I hate it! I swear my fingers nearly froze off last time." He brightened. "Good news, though, bogarts _love _the cold!"

"Of course, they do," Tsukishima muttered, digging through his bag, "because the cold is terrible and awful so, _of course, _bogarts would love it."

Noya shrugged cheerfully but didn't disagree. "Means they'll be fine over the break!"

At the mention of the break, Yamaguchi sent Tsukishima a pointed look.

"I'm looking for them," Tsukishima grumbled back.

Asahi turned to Noya, offering a small smile. "At least, the appeal for the injunction is finally finished, right?"

Noya grinned back. "Submitted the paperwork to the Headmaster this morning! I swear I think he even smiled!"

"I was there. It wasn't a smile, it was a grimace," Ennoshita argued. "He was glad you stopped badgering him."

Tanaka elbowed him. "Nah, it was a smile! Trust me, Headmaster Ukai bloody hates the Ministry! He's gotta support us. Once a Gryffindor, always a Gryffindor!"

Tanaka and Noya traded a high five.

"So, what's next," Yamaguchi asked. "With the boggarts, I mean."

Noya slung an arm around him. "_Next_, my dear, sweet, secretly conniving Yamaguchi, the protection barrier gets set up around the boggart habitat. And the Ministry's gotta send a committee to hear our case. Then, _when _we win-_Fulgo Duo_" Noya twirls his wand as red and gold sparks fly out the end, "bam! The Ministry declares the Hogwarts' boggarts a protected creature and no one gets to bother them ever again!"

Daichi frowned. "How often has a protection case been made for a boggart colony?"

Noya's shoulders stiffened before he shrugged again, looking oddly furtive. "Oh, you know, maybe like...a dozen or so times. Something like that!"

"How often have they won?" Ennoshita crossed his arms.

"Won? Oh, um…," Noya winced, "ah, never."

The room stared at him.

"Which means ours will be the first," Noya rallied. "Come on, guys, how cool is that? We're making history here! Tsuki, you're a Slytherin, you guys love stuff like that!"

"Don't call me 'Tsuki,'" Tsukishima muttered, head still half buried searching through his bag.

Asahi cleared his throat, mustering up a smile for Noya. "We can do it. I mean ...it's for the boggarts, right? Helping creatures who can't help themselves. How can they say no?"

"Right," Noya agreed, the tension loosening from his shoulders as he looked back at Asahi with that particularly soft look like the taller boy had just hung the sun.

"Found it!"

Tsukishima victoriously held up what looked like a pile of envelopes.

Tanaka tilted his head. "What is it?"

Tsukishima didn't respond, mustering up a scowl before all but shoving an envelope in each of their hands.

Yamaguchi didn't bother to open it, only smiling happily at Tsukishima while his best friend glared in return.

Ennoshita was the first to read it. "You're inviting us to your family's holiday party? Seriously?"

"And your families," Tsukishima responded, shrugging dismissively. "If they'd like to come, that is. Invitations already went out by owl a week ago."

Yamaguchi grinned. "Tsuki's mom told him he should give his personal invites in person since we're his frien-"

Tsukishima elbowed him. "Shut up, Yamaguchi."

"Sorry, Tsuki," Yamaguchi said, not looking particularly sorry.

Tanaka and Noya exchanged a glance.

Noya grinned. "Wait, does this mean…"

"I think it does!" Tanaka took on a considering expression. "Not that it's a surprise."

Noya nodded sagely. "True, true, but I didn't think he'd actually admit it."

"He's growing up!" Tanaka wiped a fake tear from his eye.

Tsukishima glared. "I hate you."

"But, you can't hate us, Tsuki," Noya crowed. "You looooove us! We're your friends, we've got the invites to prove it."

Tsukishima scowled harder which if anything made Noya and Tanaka laugh louder.

Daichi stepped in before there was a homicide. "I'd love to go, Tsukishima. Thanks for the invite."

Tsukishima sniffed. "Whatever. Yamaguchi added most of the list, anyway."

"Can't add people who were already on it," Yamaguchi countered, smiling under Tsukishima's glower.

"He loves us," Noya said triumphantly.

The wind whistled once again through the tower, luckily cutting off whatever Tsukishima was going to say.

Ennoshita sighed, looking at the storm outside the tower. "Come on, let's go pick up Nao before the little dummy tries to brave the weather to find a seat himself."

Yamaguchi grimaced, obligingly letting himself be hustled to the door. "Can't we stay inside where it's warm a bit longer?"

"Look at the bright side," Tsukishima said dryly, grabbing his scarf before stepping out into the hall. "At least, you aren't the idiots who have to play in it."

Noya hurried forward, grabbing Asahi's hand. "I call sitting next to Asahi!"

Asahi blushed. "What? Why?"

"Cause you're always the warmest, duh," Noya said, already tucking himself into Asahi's side. The larger boy blushed harder.

Daichi headed up the rear of the group, throwing one last glance at the near blizzard outside. And somewhere in the shiver of his bones, he privately thought that Tsukishima might have a point.

He was really glad he wasn't playing for Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw today.

ooooooo

A book sat open in Yachi's lap.

That fact alone wasn't that unusual; it was everything else that was.

Yachi scanned the words of the Daily Prophet again before flipping passed it to the next day's issue, the next day's, the next, the next all the way for the next month.

_August 5th_. A week after the Giant's death. Five days after the Battle of Spinner's End, the final battle of the war, the end of the Giant's army.

_August 5th. _The day Yachi lost a father and godmother.

Only...only there was nothing. Every article in the paper detailing the fallout of the battle, the arrests and trials of the Ghosts, the death of the Giant and the mystery of the duelist who killed him, celebrations ending the war, death announcements, a statement from the Minister, lists of those still missing. _Everything _except the obituaries of one Naoki Yachi and one Kirika Uragiri.

It was almost...almost as if they hadn't died at all.

And for a brief crazed moment, Yachi had that thought. That maybe everything, her entire life, had just been a mistake. That they were both fine. Just had to go on the run, had to hide, had to...had to leave for _some other reason _while her mother stayed to cover for them. Anything except them really being dead.

But there was still one announcement. Just one, barely even a sentence, tucked in as an afterthought in the business section.

_Madoka Yachi, last surviving heir of the Uragiri estate and wife of the late Naoki Yachi, inherits both the Uragiri and Yachi seats on the Wizamagot._

And that was it.

That was all. Her aunt and father were still dead, just as they'd been for over a decade, and the only note their deaths had in the paper was a descriptor in the business section.

It didn't...it didn't make sense.

It felt wrong. On a personal level, sure, but more than that it felt like a disjointed puzzle piece and...Yachi might be the biggest coward to ever step foot in the Gryffindor common room but she was going to figure out why no matter what it took.

"Don't you have a Quidditch game to get to?"

Yachi jerked, her head jumping up from the page.

Rezei laughed. "Sorry, sorry, you'd think one of these days I might be able to start a conversation without nearly making you leap out of your chair." He flicked his wand and a book came flying off the shelf behind Yachi's head. "Unfortunately, you also just happen to be sitting in front of the Charms section and if I don't find a heating charm good enough to get the bloody draft out of my classroom, I think I'll go insane."

Yachi tried to manage a small smile.

"Now, that's a very pitiful expression considering there's a Quidditch game to look forward to." He grimaced. "Is it the weather? Truthfully, I know it might not be very school spirited, but I think I might stay inside with a good book this afternoon rather than risk becoming the newest Hogwarts ice sculpture."

"My friends are playing," Yachi said quietly.

"I'm sure they'd understand with this weather; but, it's your choice, I suppose." He tilted his head. "May I ask what you're reading?"

She pushed the book forward. "It's a recall book. I was trying to find an old Daily Prophet article."

Rezei glanced down, his expression going solemn. "Learning more about the war?"

Yachi paused, trying to think of a way to explain it and have it come out normal. Then again, it was entirely possible that Rezei was the only one who would understand.

"I was trying to find my father and aunt's obituaries," she said quietly. "I just...I just wanted to know more."

"Oh." Rezei sighed. "And what did it say?"

Yachi frowned. "That's the problem, I didn't find them at all. There was nothing. Just a mention about Mom in the business section." She flipped to the page, showing the professor. "I just...I just don't understand _why_."

"Probably because your mother didn't want it in there," Rezei said dryly, lips pressed thin.

Yachi blinked. "But….why wouldn't she?"

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Hitoka, your mother and I weren't exactly speaking then. It's...it's a long story and one that I don't think I'm the person you should ask." He shakes his head, standing up albeit a bit unsteadily. "I'm sorry….I'm afraid I need to go, things to think about."

"Wait!" Yachi caught his robes. "Please, if you're not going to tell me then no one will. I don't have anyone else I can ask."

Rezei met her eyes, his hand landing on her arm gripping his sleeve and ever so gently pulling it away.

"Ask your mother," he said, not unkindly. "And then...when you do, then I'll tell you. You're old enough to understand, Hitoka."

And then he turned, disappearing down the hall and leaving Yachi alone in the library with more questions than answers.

ooooooo

The air burned harshly in Hinata's lungs as he tried to find the dark shapes, signifying his teammates, through the white blur of the snow.

As he watched, two of the Ravenclaw Chasers-Watari and Misaki-accidentally flew into each other, trying to avoid an errant that Bludger that Hinata honestly couldn't tell where it came from. To his left, there was a loud curse that sounded like Koki so at least Hinata knew where one of his teammates was.

The game was, um, not exactly anyone's best and Hinata was quickly learning that playing Quidditch in the middle of a _blizzard _was the absolute worst!

The sky was slowly creeping into night as the game entered the four hour mark with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff only scoring a measly eighteen goals between them and using almost all of their timeouts. The Snitch hadn't been spotted once.

There was one bright side.

Kageyama and Hinata had never had to see each other to know where the other would be.

Hinata put all his faith in hoping and raced in the direction he though the goal was, trying to listen against the hiss of the wind for any slight change.

In the end, he sensed more than heard the Quaffle, holding up his arm barely in time for the ball to whack into his side.

He scrambled with his hand, trying to get a hold before it fell in what had to be the messiest throw Kageyama and him had ever done.

His broom creaked ominously beneath him, frost patterns running down the handle.

Hinata gripped his hand tighter around the handle, pushing it forward against the wind.

His nose and cheeks stung even under the mask and goggles.

Yaku didn't even have time to see him cutting through the snow before Hinata threw for the goal.

The hoop lit up a light yellow, a charm Professor Oiwake had placed before the game to notify the audience of a goal.

Through Hinata's earmuffs, there was an indistinct buzz that was all he could hear of the announcer.

He supposed it didn't matter if he heard. He was keeping up.

Hufflepuff's 150 to Ravenclaw's 30.

Just four more goals and Hufflepuff could win this, Snitch or no Snitch.

The sound of a whistle signaled the last timeout and Hinata swore he saw Yaku moan in relief as the older boy returned to the field.

The rest of the Hufflepuff team met in the changing room they were using for shelter.

Futakuchi tugged off his mask, swearing. "Oiwake's a sadist for making us play in this."

"I like the cold," Aone said quietly, offering a barely there shrug.

Futakuchi rolled his eyes. "Then you must have been part polar bear in a former life. I'm freezing off my bloody-"

"Alright," Bokuto cut him off, "uh, so everyone remember to renew your heating charms, yeah?"

Mad Dog responded by sending Bokuto a death glare...or maybe just a regular glare...or a smile? Hinata always had trouble telling with Mad Dog.

Koki smiled, bumping his shoulder against Mad Dog. "Any other tips, Captain?"

"Don't freeze," Bokuto said adamantly. "Or die. That last one's important."

Kageyama exchanged a look with Hinata. "So, just keep doing what we've been doing?"

Bokuto sighed. "Yeah, we don't have a lot of options with the snow. Right now, the only advantage we really got is you and Hinata's freaky catches are used to being thrown blind. Everyone else just, ah, try to stay alert?"

Futakuchi moaned a bit desperately, side eyeing Mad Dog. "Any sign of the Snitch yet?"

Mad Dog growled which was really answer enough.

Outside, Professor Oiwake blew the warning whistle and they all started their hustle back outside.

"Next time, we should be smart about this like Akaashi was and _stay inside_," Futakuchi muttered. "Have to postpone the game if _none _of us show up."

"Akaashi has a headache." Bokuto pouted.

"Lucky him." Futakuchi rolled his eyes, taking to the sky with Aone and Koki right behind him until they disappeared again into the snow.

The last ones on the field, Hinata turned to Kageyama with a grin. "Just four more goals, right?"

Kageyama nodded, one end of his mouth turning up slightly in what Hinata interpreted as a full on smile.

They pushed off of the field.

Oiwake blew the whistle.

Ravenclaw took the advantage of the time out to grab the Quaffle, their captain Sakai racing towards the goal while everyone was still getting in position. Hinata lost track of her in the white at halfway down the field.

There was a slight whistle and Hinata ducked on instinct, a second before a Bludger screeched over his head.

His broom fought against him as he pulled back up, crackling under his hands against a sudden gust of wind, before a large hand caught his shoulder.

Aone smiled down at him.

"We didn't see you," Aone's deep voice cut across the cold. "You okay?"

Hinata nodded, offering a smile back. "I'm fine! Don't worry about it!"

Aone patted his shoulder one more time before they both set off to their parts of the field.

To Hinata's left, a bright blue hoop shown through the ice.

Okay, Hufflepuff's 150 to Ravenclaw's 40. Five goals.

They could do it

Hinata leaned forward on his broom, getting ready.

He waited.

One breath. Bokuto was probably getting ready to throw the Quaffle back into play.

Another breath. Last he saw Koki, he was helping out Aone and Futakuchi so Kageyama would be the only one Bokuto could throw to.

A third breath. They'd have to time it right, wait until that perfect moment so Kageyama could get around Ravenclaws' Chasers.

Another second and…..

_Now!_

Hinata turned down in a corkscrew and raced to the other side of the field, pulling low to avoid the Beaters.

He kept going, down enough that he was back under the low hanging clouds that were taking up most of the pitch.

The best place. Find the best place. The perfect place. The one that Kageyama would think he'd go to.

Ugh, funny thing, it's really _a lot _harder to try to guess what other people think you'd think rather than just think what you wanna think! Wait, that didn't make sense, did it?

The Quaffle cut through the snow and landed perfectly in his hands.

Hinata grinned. Oh, well, it didn't have to make sense.

He angled back up, frowning slightly as his broom crackled again under the force.

Yaku saw him this time, driving towards the right still just a second behind Hinata's throw.

160 to 40. Four more goals.

Yaku dropped down to get the Quaffle.

There was a tap on Hinata's shoulder and he glanced to his left just in time to see Futakuchi wink at him. "Get ready."

Yaku threw to Watari, backed up by Misaki above him.

Two Bludgers screeched out of the blur of white, slamming hard into Watari's chest as he turned.

The Quaffle fell. Misaki diving to get it, only to have to pull up to dodge the Bludger Futakuchi just retrieved.

Hinata dove faster, not even catching it so much as hitting the Quaffle back up and towards the goal before Yaku could react.

The hoop lit up gold.

Hinata let out a breath, looking up to find Aone and Koki waiting in the snow and sending them a thumbs up.

Three more goals.

Yaku's next throw made it to Misaki, both Watari and Sakai covering her from Koki and the Beaters

The three Ravenclaws kept their formation, flying in fast to the other side of the field while the Hufflepuff's tracked them, trying to throw them off with Bludgers.

Hinata lost sight of them halfway down the pitch and waited, still, for either the bright blue light of a goal or some kind of indication that Hufflepuff got the Quaffle.

Around him, the sky had finally darkened to night and everything seemed...cold. Cold in a way that had nothing to do with the temperature. He didn't know where any of his teammates were, didn't even know about the Ravenclaws. The stands were nothing but a giant dark blur he could sometimes catch a glimpse of between the gusts of white.

It felt oddly like he was alone, in a way Quidditch wasn't _supposed _to feel like. Quidditch was about a team, seven players working together.

Quidditch was...it was the beauty of seeing the top of the world, a view he'd never be able to see just on his own.

Hinata...Hinata wasn't supposed to be alone.

A dark flash cut through the sky followed by another, players flying to the other side of the field. Which meant Hufflepuff got the Quaffle.

Which meant it was time for Hinata got to _do something_ other than waiting around in the cold.

He thought only for a second before going with instinct. Not down again. They'd be expecting it. So, instead, he went up, way up, using the cover of the wind, the clouds, the snow, the night, and hoping that Kageyama would understand his line of reasoning.

The only place Hinata could be absolutely sure no one was going to be, high enough where he couldn't even see five feet in front of him.

Under his hands, he could feel his broom protest, creaking even louder in the ice in a way that Hinata had never heard before.

The creaking got louder, sharpening until it was a crack and as he watched, tiny spindle like lines broke out around the handle, running down the wood.

He frowned, just for a moment, before three things happened one right after another.

First, the muffled voice of the announcer was swept up and away in a rush of wind. Hinata turned, trying to catch the words.

Second, the Quaffle swooped in front of him. Too low. Just a foot too low and Hinata dove for it. Hanging off his broom as his hand wrapped around it and…

Third.

His broom exploded.

Hinata pitched forward, the scream pulled out of his lungs by a cold force of air, as he hung suspended for a single second amidst the cloud of splinters, catching across his uniform.

He fell.

And then he kept falling, faster and faster only buffeted by the wind pushing back against him and…

He was lost in the white.

He couldn't see the ground. Didn't know how high up he was.

No one...no one could see _him._

He was going to hit the ground before anyone knew he fell.

He plummeted through the snow with the split second realization that he was going to die and that was going to really, really suck.

Something whammed into him with the force of a train and arms wrapped him, holding him to a chest.

"Bit dramatic don't you think? Kenma catches the Snitch and, what, you fall off your broom? Bad sportsmanship there, Hinata. Trying to steal our thunder?"

Hinata breathed in shakily, his heart still slamming hard in his ribs and his hands trembling as he turned up to see Kuroo. "D-d-didn't f-fall. B-bro-om broke."

"Broke?" Kuroo eyed the wood shards still embedded in Hinata's uniform.

"It e-exploded," Hinata answered.

"Brooms don't just explode." Kuroo finally landed them on the ground and Hinata all but fell off before there was another arm there steadying him.

He glanced up to see Kageyama, frowning. "What happened?"

"His broom exploded," Kuroo answered for him, picking off one of the splinters stuck on Hinata's back.

"HINATA!" Hands landed on Hinata's shoulders and Bokuto's looking down at him, panicked. "I told you _not _to die! I specifically said _don't die!_"

"Hey, maybe you _are _psychic," Kuroo said dryly.

"Huh?" Bokuto glanced up before firmly shaking his head. "What? No way! This doesn't _count_!" The older boy looked back to Hinata, expression going serious. "Hinata, I don't want to pull this card. But listen to your Captain! Next time, I say don't die! Don't almost die! Got it?"

"Um, sorry," Hinata said, offering up a weak smile.

By now, both of the teams were swarming over-shards of wood still gradually landing in the wind around them.

"Hinata?" Kenma pushed through the crowd, the Snitch still clutched tightly in his hands and Yachi right behind him.

"Hey! Um, good catch!" Hinata beamed. "Ah, sorry, I missed it!"

Kenma gave him a look that clearly questioned his sanity. Sadly, it wasn't a particularly rare look.

Futakuchi snatched one of the larger wood pieces off the ground. "Ouch, looks like someone forgot to charm it against the ice. That's a broom maker malfunction there. You're lucky you weren't _killed_! Who made this thing?"

"Er, it was a Nimbus 5000," Hinata said glumly, the last of his shock dying away to see the poor, pitiful remains of his once beautiful broom.

"They should know better." Futakuchi punches his arm. "Next time go with a Firebolt."

Professor Oiwake finally made it through the crowd, blowing his whistle to get to Hinata. "Alright, everyone, back up. You can talk to him in the infirmary _after!_"

"But, I'm not even hurt," Hinata protested. "I can just-"

Oiwake gave him a sharp look and the words died in his throat.

As Hinata was dragged routinely off the field with no broom, face still stinging from the cold, and splinters still digging in at odd angles, he supposed this wasn't the _worst _Quidditch game he'd ever played.

But, it was pretty close.

ooooooo

An hour later on an emptied out Quidditch field, a figure waded through the snow with his wand in hand.

He glanced around, checking once again that no one but himself had braved the cold, before pulling his hood even tighter across his face.

He held out his wand to the snow and made a complicated wave as the snow steadily melted into a dripping puddle.

More magic poured into the wand and slowly the puddle dried until all that was left was dead grass and broken splinters of what used to be a broom.

The figure picked the splinters up, gathering all he could find and stuffing them into his cloak, before holding up his wand once more to the sky.

"_Ventus."_

The gathered snow blew across the field, scattering in a spiral before being dumped evenly once again on the ground.

By the time, the figure turned and left the field the only trace that he was ever there were a series of footprints quickly being covered by the approaching blizzard.

When the figure was finally back inside he pulled back his hood.

Oikawa frowned at the splinters held innocently in his hand.

Brooms don't just explode.

And stairs don't just break. And potion kits don't just swap out deadly ingredients.

But, they were. And Oikawa was going to find out why.

And when he did, someone was going to pay.

ooooooo

An owl flew with frozen wings.

A mangy body with feathers frozen off to show bloody unprotected skin underneath. The remaining feathers were drenched in murky saltwater long since iced over.

The owl twitched in the wind unnaturally like a not quite living thing, wings beating frantically in the air even as it looked like every beat forward would break bones.

The owl's eyes held the mad sheen of yellow and his thoughts hadn't been his own for a long, long time. Not in days.

A letter was clenched tightly in its claws.

The spires of a castle broke through the clouds and a frozen lake, much nicer than the waters the owl called home.

Close. Almost there.

A boy shivered slightly at the edge of his forest, waiting for a friend to finish feeding their fears to a pack of lonely, hated creatures.

"Noya," the boy called. "Bro, hurry up! I'm freezing!"

"Just a few more minutes," the friend called back.

The boy rolled his eyes. "Fine, but I'm going ahead before the elves put away dinner. Want me to grab you something?"

"Nah, I'll run by the kitchen!"

"Suit yourself." The boy shrugged, pulling tightly on his scarf to try to protect his face against the cold.

Almost there.

The boy walked alone, trudging his own path through dark and snow, the only light coming from a half moon and the soft glow coming from his wand.

The ice in the owl's wings cracked as he beat them faster and faster so he could at last be finished.

Nothing else mattered. Noting except-

The owl crashed in the snow in front of the boy in a whirring blur of white.

"MERLIN!"

The owl held up the letter and the hint of sickly yellow finally faded from the owl's eyes as he was finally allowed to let them fall shut.

Ryuunosuke Tanaka watched as the owl died in front of him.

"Oh, man, poor little guy." He bent down, eyeing the damage on the owl's body as he tried to remember every single animal tip Noya had ever told him. "What happened to you?"

He took the letter still clenched in the bird's claws-a dirty crumpled piece of paper, water stained around the edges. He flipped it open.

His blood went cold.

Scrawled on the paper was a symbol-two crossed wands, interwoven with a snake-a symbol and a word.

_Soon._

A/N: And so ends what I vaguely think of as the first act of this story. As always, thanks everyone for their support. I'm a bit paranoid about typos in this chapter so if you see any, just tell me and I will change them.

Last, I'm going to try to avoid it, but there might be an extra week delay for the next chapter as I'm moving across the country next week. That said, exciting things to come!

Next Chapter: The More, The Merrier


	10. The More, The Merrier

Lev chewed on his food thoughtfully. "You...have terrible luck."

Hinata grunted, face down on the table.

"Like _really _terrible. Like troll level terrible."

"I knooooow," Hinata moaned pitifully.

"Have you ever thought you might be cursed?"

Kenma sighed, looking down at his book. "He's not. Yachi and I checked him after last year."

Hinata's head shot up. "What? When?"

Both Yachi and Kenma declined from answering.

"Seriously, though," Lev continued, leaning forward over the table. "Who's broom freaking _explodes_?! It's a miracle you're alive. You're like a walking, talking human catastrophe!"

"Thank you?"

Kageyama stabbed at his plate viciously.

"It's not my fault," Hinata protested.

Kageyama narrowed his eyes like he didn't _quite _believe him

Lev grinned. "Hey, look at the bright side, Hinata, it's almost _Christmas_! No one nearly dies at Christmas! It's like a rule or something! It's un-festive!"

Yachi frowned. "I'm pretty sure that's not a-"

"Just let him have it," Kageyama interrupted her.

Yachi shrugged.

"See, you're safe!" Lev reached out and punched Hinata on the shoulder. "Just as soon as we get through exams."

Kenma glanced away from his book. "Have you even studied?"

Lev paled, shooting a nervous glance at a table a few rows back. As if sensing it, Yaku looked up with a death glare.

"Of course, I have," Lev lied, digging his bag out from under the table and rooting around through crumpled notes. "I've done, ah, all of the studying!"

Kenma gave him a deadpan look. "When the Aurors ask me about your murder, I'm not testifying."

Lev laughed awkwardly before gesturing to his mess of a bag. "Um, help? Please!"

Kenma rolled his eyes, standing from the table and gathering his things.

He looked briefly at Hinata. "Don't die."

Hinata smiled. "I'll do my best."

Kenma nodded, turning off toward the exit.

"Wait! Kenma!" Lev yelped, chasing after him and holding up his bag. "Come on! You're a Ravenclaw! You guys love learning, right?"

Kenma kept walking, Lev right behind him.

Kageyama huffed, watching him go. "You think he'll help him?"

"Not for free," Yachi said.

Hinata tilted his head. "You ever think Kenma should have been a Slytherin?"

"That…," Yachi paused in thought, "would be absolutely terrifying."

"Right!"

Hinata moved down to start picking up his own bag.

Yachi grabbed his hand. "Wait!"

Hinata stopped, both him and Kageyama looking up at Yachi in bewilderment.

"Um, I need to talk to you. Both of you." Yachi looked down, her voice dropping hesitantly. "I...I need your help."

Kageyama and Hinata exchanged a look.

"Anything," Hinata promised.

Yachi didn't look up. "I think my mom's hiding something from me. Something...something about my father and aunt's deaths

"Like what," Kageyama asked.

Yachi gave a helpless smile. "I don't know. There's just….so, so much I don't know and I'm-I'm so-," she stopped, taking a breath before trying again. "Professor Rezei said I need to ask her before he can tell me anything and I'm just….," she looked down.

"I'm scared," she admitted, wiping at her eyes. "I'm scared my mom's hiding something terrible. Why else wouldn't she tell me?"

Hinata and Kageyama exchanged a look, leaning closer until they were blocking Yachi from view.

"Just tell us what you need us to do," Hinata said, offering a small smile.

"I..I know it's a lot to ask and especially last minute, but," she took a breath, "would you come home for the holidays with me? I...I don't want to be alone."

"Sure," Hinata said immediately. "No problem."

Yachi blinked up at him. "Really?"

"Yeah," Hinata agreed. "I doubt the orphanage will miss me that much." He paused. "I'll have to get Natsu a really, really good present this year. She'll understand."

Yachi looked at Kageyama with large eyes.

Kageyama shrugged. "My dad won't mind as long as I flooed back for New Year."

Yachi looked between them, lips pressing together tightly as she wiped again at her eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered and if her voice was slightly watery still, well, that was okay.

Hinata hugged her to his side, jerking Kageyama until he was pushed into it as well.

"What are friends for?"

ooooooo

Tanaka sat quietly at the table, poking at his food rather than eating it.

Ennoshita frowned. "What's up with you?"

Tanaka didn't answer.

"Hey!" Ennoshita waved a hand in front of his face.

Tanaka jerked, blinking up at him. "What?"

"You're being quiet," Tsukishima accused. "Stop it. You're scaring Yamaguchi."

Yamaguchi rolled his eyes. "What Tsuki means is are you okay?"

"_Why wouldn't I be," _Tanaka demanded, tone gone lower and louder, almost...almost aggressive. He shook his head, closing his eyes and when he spoke again his voice was back to normal. "Sorry. Yeah...I'm fine. Just exams, you know?"

He grabbed his stuff in short, ragged gestures, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "I'm gonna go study."

The rest of the table watched him go, frowning at each other.

"Um, should we...go after him," Asahi asked, unsure.

Daichi paused before shaking his head. "Let's give him some time. He'll tell us if he needs to."

"Besides, it's _Tanaka_." Tsukishima snorted. "When's the last time he's been quiet about _anything _for long."

Ennoshita chewed on his lip, still frowning. "Where's Noya?"

"Checking on the boggarts." Asahi gave a small smile. "He's worried they'll miss him too much come the holidays."

"Miss their daily meals more like," Tsukishima retorted.

"Oh, I don't know." Yamaguchi gave an innocent smile. "If Noya's really worried, I'm _sure _they'll be room for them at your family's estate. Right, Tsuki?"

Tsukishima elbowed him. "Don't even _think _about it."

Daichi groaned, head in his hands. "No, _please_, I'm with Tsukishima. For once, can we just have a nice _normal _thing like a holiday party without anything trying to kill us or literally feed on our fears?"

"Which is his way of saying Suga's going to be there," Asahi added.

Daichi glared. "Maybe. In other words, please all of you just act normal. Just this time. One night. It's all I'm asking."

"The two you need to worry about aren't even here." Ennoshita rolled his eyes.

"Besides," Yamaguchi laughed, "when's anything Noya and Tanaka are at ever normal?"

ooooooo

"-so, please, please, let's just have one normal night, okay," Suga concluded pleadingly over their usual library table.

Oikawa smirked. "Don't worry, Suga, we won't ruin your super, special holiday date with your boyfriend...or you know, we won't _try _anyway."

Suga sighed. "I suppose that's all I can ask. Though, really, I think we can get through _one _party without the time turner, right?"

"It's a party with my father and a bunch of other uppity pureblood families," Kuroo said dryly. "Trust me, you couldn't pay me to experience it twice."

He grimaced suddenly as if just realizing exactly how true his words were going to be.

Bokuto bumped his shoulder, smiling. "Least you won't be going through it alone. Right, bro? We'll get you through it. You dick of a dad included."

Kuroo hesitated before nodding, some of the tension falling away from his shoulders.

Iwaizumi turned, raising an eyebrow at Oikawa. "What about you? Suga's got Daichi, you bringing what's her name to the party?"

"Kano or Miwa?"

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. "Like I'm keeping track. The Ravenclaw one."

"Rude, Iwa-chan! At least remember the name of the possible love of my life. " Oikawa stuck his tongue out. "Also, neither. Kano and I ended it last week and Miwa-the 'Ravenclaw one'-broke up with me like a month ago."

"Good for her," Kuroo deadpanned. "So much for love of your life."

Oikawa shoved him. "Don't envy me for my popularity. I'm sure _eventually _you'll find someone to look passed your multitudinous character flaws."

"Multitudinous? Aww, Tooru, is someone breaking out the big words for me? Big words aren't going to help you win our bet, you know."

"Don't need them to. It just goes with your big head."

"If you think that's big, you should see-"

"Please," Iwaizumi interrupted, "I'm literally begging you not to finish that sentence."

Kuroo smirked, miming zipping his lips. "Only because of Bo's delicate ears."

"Huh?" Bokuto turned up from his magazine, chewing on the end of his quill. "My delicate what?"

Suga raised an eyebrow. "Um, I mean this in the nicest way, but don't you think you might want to study for Arithmancy?"

"Nah," Bokuto said cheerfully, holding up the magazine. "Look, it's a Muggle magazine! It's got these funny little horoscope things in it! I didn't know Muggles could see the future!"

Iwaizumi and Oikawa exchanged a look.

"Er," Oikawa started, "they...can't. Wait, please don't tell me-"

"I can use this for my Divination exam," Bokuto cheered. "It's perfect!"

Oikawa and Iwaizumi leaned closer together.

"Should we stop him," Iwaizumi whispered.

Oikawa shrugged. "Honestly? I think it's one of his better plans."

"It's terrible!"

"Well,...yeah…."

Bokuto blinked, watching them. "I mean unless I come up with my own super, awesome prediction, of course!"

The entire table winced.

Iwaizumi turned back to Oikawa, shaking his head decisively. "You're right. Don't tell him."

Bokuto smiled beatifically.

Kuroo glanced back at his own textbook, groaning. "Speaking about predictions, I'd like to officially submit my nomination of Professor Yamiji for Hogwarts' Professor of the Year Most Likely to Kill Us."

Oikawa laughed. "Seconded. Is that a thing, by the way? It feels like it should be a thing. Can we make it one?"

"Talk to Matsu and Makki," Iwaizumi said.

"No professors tried to kill us last year," Suga mused.

Kuroo double checked the Silencing Charm around the table before leaning in. "No, but _technically_, the basilisk was Salazar's fault so really a Founder tried to kill us which is even worse."

Suga rolled his eyes. "That's reaching."

"Not really." Oikawa clapped his hands together. "So, all for Yamiji's Arithmancy class secretly being a force of darkness and destruction? Going once?"

Kuroo pulled up Bokuto's hand from where he'd gone back to the magazine. Oikawa reached for Iwaizumi's only to be smacked away.

"Ow, Iwa-chan!"

"And that's still three against two," Kuroo announced. "Sorry, Suga, Iwaizumi. It's official. Yamiji's secretly trying to kill us through sheer, agonizing homework assignments."

"What a way to go." Oikawa wiped away a fake tear.

Bokuto grunted, distracted.

"You know you could always _drop the class_," Iwaizumi suggested.

Both Oikawa and Kuroo looked at him like he was crazy.

"And lose the bet," Oikawa asked as if the very idea pained him.

"For shame, Iwaizumi." Kuroo shook his head. "Ten points from Gryffindor. Where's your sense of inner competition? "

"It died along with your common sense."

Suga laughed, standing and packing up his things before Kuroo and Oikawa could retort. "Come on, let's go get lunch before the elves pack it up."

Oikawa shrugged, obediently packing his stuff. "Who cares? We can just use the time turner. Think of it like a test even. We've never tried it with multiple people before."

"Two lunches!" Bokuto beamed.

Suga whacked Oikawa's shoulders. "_No._ That's just asking for something to go wrong."

"If they didn't want it tested, they shouldn't have given it to teenagers," Kuroo said reasonably, discreetly cancelling the charms around the table.

Suga glared. "No."

"Killjoy," Oikawa singsonged before his eyes went up to the library doors. "Ahh, and look, speaking of killjoys…"

Daishou met Oikawa's gaze with a withering look. "Hmm, and I thought the library was charmed against vermin. Pity."

Kuroo smirked. "Come on, Daishou, I'm sure they wouldn't do that. How would a snake like you eat without your daily helping of rats?"

"Clever," Daishou said. "I'm surprised you were able to think of that without one of your tag ons whispering in your ear." He glanced at the books. "Studying? Good, you'll need it judging on that _abysmal _freezing charm you used last duel."

"Still sore he almost knocked you on your ass," Oikawa taunted.

Daishou snorted. "The only way either of you could knock me on my ass is from laughing too hard at your pathetic attempts at dueling."

"Geeze, makes you wonder why the captain partnered you with us," Kuroo said. "Probably hoping we could teach you something."

"Probably hoping I could do damage control," Daishou shot back.

Iwaizumi's hand slapped over Oikawa's mouth. "No, we're done. I'm hungry. Daishou...just go study or something. We'll see you next Dueling practice."

Daishou sniffed, pushing past them.

Kuroo watched him go. "Aww, look Iwaizumi, he's pouting. You probably ruined his entire day. Daishou _loves_ our fights!"

Iwaizumi sighed with his long patented surrounded-by-idiots glare.

Oikawa bit the hand still over his mouth.

"OW!"

Oikawa skipped ahead out of dodge, laughing as Iwaizumi tried and failed to catch him.

Iwaizumi looked up. "Oikawa-"

And then, Oikawa slammed directly into the person walking behind him, tripped, and fell backwards onto his back.

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes.

"AKAASHI!" Bokuto yelled happily, all but swinging his arms around the teen with the gusto of an over eager owl.

"Oh, no, don't worry, I'm _fine_," Oikawa muttered, pouting until Suga finally relented and helped him off the floor.

Akaashi glanced dryly up at Bokuto, still hanging off him. "Your mother sent me a letter to remind you to bring your nice robes home."

"Blugh, Akaashi, but they're itchy," Bokuto's face scrunched up before he frowned. "Wait, why didn't she just tell _me_?"

Akaashi gently peeled him off. "Probably because the last time she sent you a letter, you forgot about it for three months."

"I was busy," Bokuto protested

Akaashi's expression didn't change.

"Ugh, fine," Bokuto relented, looking suddenly sheepish.

"You don't have any clue where the robes even are, do you?"

"I'm pretty sure I saw them somewhere," Bokuto said apologetically. "Um, but that somewhere might've been under Washio's bed...and it might've been last year."

Akaashi glanced back at Suga. "Do you mind if I borrow him?"

"Good luck." Suga smiled.

He sighed, grabbing Bokuto's arm and all but pulling him down the hall towards the Hufflepuff dorms.

The rest of the group watched them disappear down the hall.

"So, I have a question," Oikawa said.

Iwaizumi grimaced. "Stop, that tone never means anything good."

"No, please, go ahead," Kuroo smirked. "That tone _never _means anything good."

Suga just shook his head fondly.

Oikawa hummed. "Akaashi lives with Bokuto's family, right?"

The smirk slid off of Kuroo's face. "Darn. I hate it when Iwaizumi's right. Drop it, Oikawa. Trust me."

"What?" Oikawa frowned. "It's a simple question. It's not like it's a secret. Right?"

"No, but I know where this is going." Kuroo rolled his eyes. "Fine. Yes, Akaashi lives with the Bokuto's. Pretty sure he has since he was like seven or something."

"Why?"

Kuroo snapped his fingers. "And that's exactly what I knew you were going to say next. Don't ask. I don't know. And the people who _do _know aren't talking."

This time, Suga frowned. "You've never asked Bokuto?"

"I have. He wouldn't tell me. Told me to drop it."

"What about Akaashi," Oikawa questioned.

Kuroo grimaced. "Did that, too. _Bad idea._"

"Why," Iwaizumi asked.

Kuroo rubbed a hand over his chin. "Because I've barely seen Bokuto mad longer than ten minutes. When he found out I was bothering Akaashi about it, he didn't talk to me for a month."

The rest stared at him.

"Just trust me." Kuroo shrugged. "Some mysteries aren't supposed to be solved. Even for the Investigators' Club."

ooooooo

The Ghost stood in the middle of the forest, watching.

An all black mask covered his face like the hood of an executioner.

Tanaka stood in front of him, frozen to the spot with his heart beating hard in his chest.

Slowly, the seconds turning over themselves like a quiet eternity, the Ghost lifted his hand, dropping a letter right in front of Tanaka's feet. The letter unfurled, a single word and symbol.

_Soon._

The word tasted like ash in Tanaka's throat.

The Ghost reached for his hood.

"Don't," Tanaka bit out.

The Ghost silently lifted the mask.

"_I SAID DON'T!"_

The mask fell to the ground.

Tanaka's breath echoed heavily in his ears as he stared at his own face under the hood.

He lifted his wand.

The Ghost Tanaka tilted his head in curiosity.

"_Riddikulus."_

The spell hit the Ghost in the chest and the black robes melted away to be replaced by a prefect badge and a studious reflection.

The boggart Tanaka huffed snottily, pulling out a notepad-no doubt to write up a fake detention slip-while the real Tanaka fell heavily on the ground, trying to get his breathing back under control.

He closed his eyes.

Not real. Not going to happen. Just a boggart.

The words died out as he felt the very real letter still sitting in his pocket.

"Bro?"

Tanaka's head jerked up just in time to see Noya pushing through the trees to sit next to him.

With an excitement almost akin to a puppy, the boggart shifted into a mass of black reforming into a spider that all but skuddled to Noya in their hurry.

Noya laughed, catching them and rubbing at their back. "Hey, guys, you miss me?"

The spider shifted to a black cobra that hissed softly in response under Noya's hands.

"They're getting so big," Noya cooed fondly. "You know I bet it won't be long until they can manage speech!"

"Great," Tanaka said, far from enthusiastically.

Noya cocked his head. "How'd you beat me out here, bro?"

"Skipped dinner," Tanaka admitted. "Wasn't hungry."

Noya watched him, eyes lighting up with that certain intensity as if Tanaka was a dangerous creature that Noya was trying to find the right way to approach.

Tanaka smothered a slightly hysterical laugh. Sometimes...sometimes that's what he felt like. That there was something fundamentally dangerous in his very nature and now it was only the matter of one wrong move and he'd snap.

Noya would say that no creature can be fundamentally bad.

Tanaka's….Tanaka's not so sure.

After all, aren't people creatures, too? And people...people Tanaka _knows _can be bad.

"What's up," Noya asked.

Tanaka shoved a hand in his pocket, pulling out the crumpled letter and pushing it into Noya's hands.

Noya read it. "Oh….shit."

This time Tanaka really did laugh. It wasn't a nice laugh.

"Yeah," he said.

"Is it really from…"

"I got it yesterday night," Tanaka said instead. "The owl that delivered it….it was terrible, the little guy looked like he had been _Imperiused _within an inch of his life. He _died _right after he delivered it. It was sick."

Noya shivered, the boggart shifting under his hands and slowly growing until the shape started growing fur.

The boggart let out an animalistic whine and Noya's head snapped to them, letting out a breath and focusing until there was only a pile of brussel sprouts laying in his hand.

"Sorry," Noya said quietly.

Tanaka shrugged stiffly. "It's about that time, isn't it?"

Noya nodded. "Not important right now. How'd they get an owl in Azkaban?"

"No idea," Tanaka said miserably. "They must've snuck it past the dementors somehow. Uncle Yori already alerted the Aurors. Saeko got one, too, and she's all the way in Romania."

"Same thing," Noya asked, running his finger along the word.

"Yeah," Tanaka said, shoulders folding in.

"What do you think it means?"

"_I don't know," _Tanaka all but yelled, standing up to pace in the clearing. "Maybe it doesn't mean anything. Maybe they're just trying to scare us. Maybe it _does _mean something but only they'd know. They're _insane,_ Noya! They were messed up before Azkaban, what do you think twelve years of dementors did to them?"

"Are you sure it's them?"

"Who else would use the family crest?" Tanaka pointed to the dueling wands interwoven with the snake. "Even my uncle doesn't use it anymore. No one would use it except _them!_"

"You want to tell the others?"

"_NO!"_

The boggart flinched in Noya's lap, twisting into a mass of black until Noya laid his hand on them to stop them from shifting.

Tanaka's breath left him in a rush and he fell back on the log beside Noya.

"I don't want them to know," he said in a much quieter voice. "They already know the important stuff already, right? The arrest records, the trials...It's not hidden. _Everyone _ don't….they don't need to know about the letter

"You know they'd understand," Noya said, voice as even as it always is when he's trying not to spook an animal.

"I know. It's just…." He glanced at the letter. "This isn't me. That's not...I haven't even _seen _my parents since I was three, why would I want to be associated with them now? I'm nothing like them! I'm...I'm like Uncle Yori and Saeko. I'm...I'm a freaking _Gryffindor_! They don't ...they shouldn't matter."

Tanaka sighed. "I'm not hiding anything. It's not like it wasn't in the papers. My parents were a bunch of bloody murdering Ghost, who got arrested. No one cares anymore, it was twelve years ago. I'm...I'm _normal_!"

"Better than normal, bro." Noya clapped his shoulder.

Tanaka halfway smiled

Quiet settled over the clearing and for once, they both let it until Tanaka slowly felt like he could breathe again.

He waited until he could pitch his voice closer to normal.

"Oh, hey, I didn't tell you. Saeko's coming home for Christmas this year. Probably nothing just with the letters...Uncle Yori wanted us all home for a bit."

Noya's eyes lit up. "Ah, man! Saeko's so awesome! Tell her to bring pictures of Rolling Thunder! Ooh, no wait, tell her to _bring _Rolling Thunder!"

"Do you think she could?"

"Don't know if we don't ask!"

"How would you smuggle a dragon through portkey security?"

"Expansion charm on a suitcase?"

Tanaka tilted his head. "Nah, would have to have too many stability charms."

"Not if you charm it right," Noya countered.

Tanaka's stomach growled loudly.

Noya laughed, easing the boggarts onto his shoulder as he stood, offering a hand to Tanaka. "And that's what you get for skipping dinner! Come on, let's sneak into the kitchen!"

Tanaka let himself be pulled up. The boggarts shifting into a haggard vulture, landing on his shoulder.

Tanaka petted them absently, partly in apology but mostly to think.

He was a Gryffindor. Gryffindors weren't supposed to let fear hold them back. Not ever. Even...even when some things took more courage than others.

Noya was already halfway out of the clearing when he spoke.

"I'm not, right? I'm not...not like them?"

He didn't drop his eyes, no matter how much he wanted to.

"Nah, man," Noya said, voice firm. "You couldn't be like them if you tried. It's why your my best bro. "

Tanaka let out a breath. "I still don't want to tell the others yet."

Noya shrugged, shoulders just a bit too stiff to be casual. "Not like I'm going to blame you. We all have stuff we don't want to talk about."

Tanaka eyed the boggarts, making sure they stayed as a vulture.

Noya blinked, giving him a blinding smile. "Now, come on and let's get some food before Ennoshita notices we're gone."

"Oh please, Chikara will just be happy if we don't bring back the boggarts."

Noya stopped, looking considering.

"Bro..._no._"

ooooooo

Hey, guys, thanks for waiting! Moving and a bit of writer's block took more out of me than expected. With that, I'm still responding to some reviews; but, trust me when I say, I adore every single one of them and they should be answered very soon. Also, I am officially all moved in and settled so the long waits should be over for awhile.

The next chapter's a big (and longer) one, guys!

Next Chapter: Who Can Keep A Secret


	11. Who Can Keep A Secret

"_Keiji-"_

Flashes of light danced behind Akaashi's eyes.

"_Obliviate." Pale green, sharp and clear. "Sectumpsempra." Blooms of red like a flower. "Immobulus." Blue cold like ice._

Pictures and scenes, indistinct and out of order.

"_-chance we need to take. We need to find The-" A grey owl and a dove. "Always...that's why-" A sword clattering to the ground, stained with blood but not yet wet with it. "I _am _waiting. I thought you knew-" Vines breaking through stone. "I know you don't want to listen to me-"_

"_Keiji...I-"_

Snippets cut out of a larger cloth and set to fire.

_A gravestone with changing letters. "It's a shame you won't remember-" A shield falling. "He's a good kid, always has been." A pink potion. "What kind of publicity?" A wolf's howl. "I'm sorry. I love you. I don't want-"_

Confusing. Dangerous.

"_Keiji...I don't know if this will work-"_

_The duel must come to an end. _

"_Keiji-"_

_The duel must come to an end. _

"Keiji?"

_The duel must come to an end. _

"KEIJI"

Akaashi's eyes flew open, shooting up in the bed and narrowly missing the head looking down at him.

Bokuto grinned. "Hey, good, you're up!"

Akaashi glared, falling back and closing his eyes as he tried to make sense of _any_ of the pictures still running through his head.

"Aww, no, come on, don't go back to sleep! Keiji? It's Christmas Eve...Day? Christmas Eve Day! You don't want to sleep through Christmas Eve Day, do you?"

Akaashi's eyes stayed resolutely shut.

"Come on, Keiji! Kayda told me to get you up. Don't do it for me! Do it for Kayda!"

With extreme reluctance, a single eye slid open.

It was a truth seldom acknowledged that the entirety of the Bokuto family tree fell into one of two categories: quiet and with a faintly studious air or...well, _loud. _The second option was far more common than the first with Bokuto, his mother, and his older sister Kioko fighting for worst offender. On the other side was Kayda Bokuto, taking after her father Chiharu, and the older sister that Akaashi privately labeled the sole bastion of sanity among the Bokuto siblings.

"Why does Kayda want me," Akaashi asked.

Bokuto shrugged with his entire body, the gesture shaking Akaashi's bed. "Didn't ask. But you're up now, right?" Bokuto took Akaashi's deadpan expression for an answer. "Great! Bacon or eggs? Wait, nevermind! It's Christmas Eve Day! I'm making both!"

In the forefront of Akaashi's mind, a vision passed so vivid it was almost like it already happened.

Akaashi sighed. "Don't forget an oven mit."

"Duh!"

The vision of a burnt hand fizzled out like an extinguished flame the moment Akaashi interfered.

"Come on." Bokuto pulled Akaashi's arm, only to be whacked away. "Christmas Eve, Akaashi!"

Akaashi rolled his eyes, making a show of getting to his feet and heading for the stairs.

Bokuto all but beamed in front of him. And, no, Akaashi definitely did _not _find his own lips quirking up in response.

Secure in his knowledge that Akaashi was following, Bokuto bounded off down the stairs with all the grace of a lanky bull. Akaashi just watched, following at a more sedate pace as his mind flickered across moments seconds or moments ahead.

In two minutes, the family owl would come with the _Daily Prophet_ and upend Chiharu Bokuto's coffee, breaking his favorite mug.

In late morning, Bokuto's mother, Akito, would step in from the gardens, dirt spotted liberally along her entire person and singing merrily and off tune to the radio.

After lunch, Kioko Bokuto would stumble out the door, pulling her twin beside her, to buy some last minutes gifts.

By early evening, Great Aunt Ena Bokuto would floo in, frowning when she couldn't find Kayda.

Akaashi just breathed, feeling for once at peace with the onslaught of different images. There was something oddly soothing about the knowledge that he'd never truly appreciated before the strange headaches of the past months.

It was almost...comforting. Even when he knew the visions shouldn't be-could never be forever. There was always a price.

He walked into the kitchen just after Bokuto burned his hand on the stove. Akaashi wordlessly handed him an oven mitt that Bokuto took with a sheepish grin.

Chiharu nodded at him from over his morning coffee and Akaashi subtly moved it to the side a second before the _Daily Prophet _landed on the table.

Sitting next to her father, Kayda smiled at Akaashi, gesturing him over only to press a small container of blueberry scones into his hand.

"With extra vanilla," she promised. "Your favorite."

"You didn't have to."

She waved him off. "Think of it like an early Christmas present if you'd rather."

"Is this why you had Kotaro wake me up?"

She rolled her eyes fondly. "I believe my specific words were 'Hey, is Keiji up', the rest was just my little brother."

In unison, they both glanced over just in time to see Bokuto try to make the eggs do a triple flip out of the pan.

Unfortunately, the eggs only pulled two rotations before landing soundly right in front of the family owl, who panicked and almost knocked over the coffee cup only to be saved at the last second by Chiharu. Akaashi privately wondered if it was just the cup's fate to suffer an early demise.

He turned back at Kayda. "Are you sure you can't stay longer? For my peace of mind."

Kayda laughed quietly. "The Ministry needs me back by the twenty-seventh. Don't worry, you've always handled Kotaro well enough alone before. I'm sure you'll manage.'"

Akaashi gave her a look that strongly disagreed.

The older girl ruffled his hair. "The pitying look only works half as well now that you're no longer eleven, Keiji." Her expression sobered. "Are you sure you don't want the rest of us to come with you to the hospital today? I know it's normally just you and Kotaro but, well…"

"We'll be fine," Akaashi reassured her.

Kayda continued to frown.

"Don't forget the painting," Chiharu said, still looking down at his paper.

"Oh!" Kayda waved her wand and a scroll rolled out from thin air. She caught it and passed it to him. "Here, it's one of Kioko's. We thought it might go nice in your mother's room."

Akaashi took it, looking down at a bright stream tumbling by a small very familiar cottage, enchanted so the soft sounds of the water echoed faintly around it. A wind blew through the trees in the painting and, for a second, Akaashi could almost imagine a younger version of himself running across the grass to find his mother standing in their old house.

He swallowed, smiling up at Kayda. "I'm sure she'll love it."

It was a lie, of course. But a nice one.

After all, Ayano Akaashi didn't have opinions on anything. And if she still did, she wasn't telling. Ayano Akaashi hadn't said one word in over seven years.

There was always a price.

ooooo

_-so I __guess_ _I will forgive you for not coming back for Christmas. __Probably._ _Maybe. __Only because you said it was important. And because it's Christmas. And because you sent me all the really, cool magic candy that my friends never believe me about. _

_Oh, and also, this means __you have to_ _make your friends visit in the summer. The really pretty blonde girl and the grumpy one! Promise?_

_Love you, big brother!_

_Natsu_

_P.S. I gave one of the candies you sent to Izumi and he gagged and said it tasted like earwax! :)_

_P.P.S. MERRY CHRISTMAS!_

Hinata grinned at the letter. "Ha! See, I told you the candy would win her over!"

Karasuna gave a non-committal caw, tilting her head so Hinata could better scratch around her neck.

She gave him a demanding look, gesturing her beak at his hand, and Hinata obediently lifted the special seed mix he'd ordered for her from Eeylops Pet Emporium.

Hinata laughed. "You're so spoiled. And you didn't even get _me _anything for Christmas!"

Karasuna lifted her claw, dropping something small and heavy into Hinata's hand.

"Aww, you did get me something!" Hinata tilted his head down at his hand. The smooth blue stone shone in his hand almost as though polished. "Hey, wait is this quartz?"

Karasuna flapped her wings lazily in what Hinata assumed was her equivalent of a shrug.

"Hinata?"

Hinata looked up, catching Yachi hesitating by the doorway.

"Hey!" He smiled. "You can come in, Karasuna and I were just exchanging Christmas presents!"

"...Karasuna as in your crow?"

"Yeah, why?"

Yachi hesitated, on the brink of asking further before clearly thinking better of it. "Um, I just wanted to check if you're ready for the Tsukishimas' party?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, just give me like one second," he said, diving for the suitcase at the foot of his bed and trying to gauge which was the least wrinkled set of robes.

With a cry of triumph, Hinata pulled out one that barely looked wrinkled at all. He sniffed it questioningly. "Man, it's hard to believe that Tsukishima's family is like rich and famous enough to throw a holiday party _every year, _right?"

Yachi hummed. "I guess? His and Yamaguchi's parents are big in the Wizamagot so…"

She trailed off, worrying on her lip.

Hinata looked up. "What is it?"

"I haven't...I haven't talked to Mom yet," Yachi said quietly. "The whole reason I had you and Kageyama miss Christmas with your families and it's been a week and I keep...I keep chickening out whenever I try." She looked down at the floor. "I guess I'm a pretty terrible Gryffindor, aren't I?"

"Are you kidding? You're the best Gryffindor I know! Promise!" Hinata waited until she was looking up at him. "Come on, Yachi, you fought a freaking basilisk, you beat the Founder's Tasks! You're like...like the best Gryffindor _ever_!"

Yachi gave him a small smile. "That was different. That was...that was just trying to help everyone else. I barely did anything compared to the rest of you." She cut him off before he could say anything else. "Anyway, this is different. This isn't...this isn't some monster to fight or even a evil professor. It's _different, _there isn't some bad guy...there's just _my mom _and I just keep thinking…."

Hinata laid a hand on her shoulder. "Keep thinking what?"

Yachi swallowed, speaking almost too quietly to hear. "I keep thinking what if...what if my mom's the bad guy this time? How do I fight that?"

Hinata didn't answer, wasn't quite sure what to say.

Yachi let out an awkward laugh, curling in her shoulders to make herself even smaller. "That's a terrible thing to think, isn't it? She's my mom. Of course, she isn't….she wouldn't have done anything that…."

There was a pause, a long one and when Yachi next spoke, the words were spoken in that soft, deliberate kind of way that phrases can only get when held in thought for too long before meeting the air.

"Hinata, have you ever been terrified someone isn't who you think they are?"

Even the air in the room seemed weighted.

"No, I haven't," Hinata admitted. He thought of an old diary and two boys with green and silver ties, barely older than him and Yachi. "...but, I should've been."

Yachi frowned but didn't ask what he meant. Which was good because Hinata wasn't sure how he could explain it.

"I'll talk to my mom," Yachi said finally. "Tonight. At the party."

ooooo

The air around the Tsukishima estate could be best described as the type of tasteful, expensive festive design that almost _warned _the newcomers not to mess it up and a large amount of slightly tipsy, laughing guests that ensured something would end up broken by the end of the evening.

The company itself was an odd mix that somehow managed to include the entire who's who of the Ministry elite, members of practically every major pureblood family this side of the English channel, the smaller families attempting a social climb, and the eclectic additions of the Tsukishima family's close personal in all, the party atmosphere wavered and teatered between a festive gathering of old friends and an intense political bloodbath without hardly any break between the two.

That said, there were still _some _places to hide out. For the most resourceful of guests, that is.

"You're supposed to be at the party. What are you doing out here in the cold?"

Noya jumped, whacking his am on the balcony with a solid thud, before turning to the voice by the door.

An old witch smirked back, lines around her mouth far more prominent than those around her eyes. The only thing maring the smile were thick red lines, running up her neck and ending just over her lips.

Noya grinned. "I mean _technically_ I am at the party, Aunt Yuka."

The witch flicked his head. "Nice try, kid. If I gotta put up with the rest of those prissy Ministry officials who wouldn't know an ogre from a troll, then you can best believe I'm dragging you down with me. Besides, _you've_ got friends here."

"So do you," Noya protested, rubbing his head. "Tanaka said his uncle was coming."

"Did he?" Yuka hummed. "Well, what do you know? This party actually might be worthwhile if Yori's going to be here. Don't think that gets you out of the question, though. Why's my favorite little nephew freezing his ears off?"

He shrugged. "Tsuki mentioned his family used to have a pixie problem, thought I could see some."

Yuka leveled him with a look. "You and I both know it's too cold for pixies this time of year, Yuu. Want to try again?"

Noya leaned back on the balcony, head tipping back to the sky. This far away from the nearest town, thousands of stars shone down like a frame for the brightness of a waning moon.

"Just thinking," he answered.

When he looked back, Yuka's face had softened, throwing the scars into relief. "Just thinking, huh?"

"Yep," Noya said, popping the last letter.

His aunt leaned next to him, an arm thrown around him to casually pull him into a hug. "Sounds like a perfectly boring way to spend a party, kiddo. Your parents would be so proud."

Noya cackled into her shoulder. "_Ugh_, Aunt Yuka, when I left them, they were trying to find the Minister to talk about tax deductions. _Taxes. _Who _wants _to talk about taxes at a party?"

"They try." Yuka grinned back. "Not their fault, you take more after me and your uncle."

Noya stilled. "Really? I do?"

Yuka kissed the top of his head. "Like his spitting image, kid."

Noya grinned.

"Bro! There you are! "

Both aunt and nephew turned to find Tanaka standing at the door.

Yuka snorted. "Now it's a party. You two do me a favor and make sure I'm not around when you start causing trouble. For some reason, they always think it's my fault."

"'Cause it is." Tanaka beamed, being roped in with Yuka's other arm. "Man, I can't believe you found a _complete_ Zonko's joke kit! I didn't even know they made those anymore!"

"Well, it is Christmas." She dropped her voice to a mock whisper. "And don't tell anyone but you two might just be my favorites."

Noya rolled his eyes. "Of course, we're you're favorites! We're awesome!"

Yuka flicked his head again. "Don't get cocky on me." She turned to Tanaka. "And where's that uncle of yours? I need someone to complain to?"

"The atrium."

"Excellent." Yuka pushed off the balcony railing, twisting her head back before heading to the door. "And, boys, remember. _When_ you get in trouble…."

"Don't get caught," Noya and Tanaka finished.

Yuka grinned, the door slamming back shut behind her like the end of a sentence.

Tanaka sighed. "I think it's my life goal to be half as cool as your aunt."

"Dude, no, I think it's _my _life goal to be half as cool as your sister."

Tanaka made a face, shuddering. "That's cause you didn't have to fly here with her. I thought I was going to _die_! Not an exaggeration, like literally _die! _And on Christmas Eve, how much would that suck?!"

Noya snickered before chancing a glance around him and lowering his voice. "Any more letters from...you know."

Tanaka's expression went flat. "Nothing. The Aurors can't even tell how they got the first one through. They increased security."

"Maybe...maybe it was just a fluke, yeah?"

"Yeah…" Tanaka shook it off, face going determined. "I just kind of want to forget about it, you know? I mean it's Christmas! Even Saeko's home. I don't want to think about Azkaban or my parents, I just want to ignore it."

Noya grinned, grabbing Tanaka's arm and pulling him to the door. "Say no more, bro! Come on, it's a party! Let's go before my aunt comes back and yells at me for being boring!"

Tanaka let himself be pulled, a small answering grin playing on his face. "You just want to see Asahi in his formal robes, don't you?"

"Well, duh. Hey, want to bet how long it'll take Tsuki before he regrets inviting us?"

"An hour."

"Thirty minutes."

"_Fifteen_ minutes."

"Twelve!"

They jostled each other through the ballroom, continuing to debate, before Ennoshita spotted them and almost physically manhandled them over to the rest of the group.

"Five minutes, final offer," Noya offered.

Tanaka nodded. "Deal!"

Ennoshita narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing!" Tanaka pulled at his collar, trying to loosen it from its death grip around his neck. "Oi, Tsuki, how is your family's Christmas party guest list even stuffier than the bloody Wizemagot?! That's supposed to be impossible."

"Don't call me 'Tsuki'," Tsukishima said, sipping at his pumpkin juice and noticeably not disagreeing.

"It's always like this." Yamaguchi shuddered. "_I'm_ just glad no one's tried to pinch my cheeks yet."

Tsukishima smirked, leaning down to do just that before Yamaguchi swatted his hand away.

Ennoshita snorted. "I'm starting to think you only wanted us here to escape the rest of the guests."

Yamaguchi turned abruptly red.

Tsukishima just smiled innocently. "Would we do that?"

Ennoshita frowned suspiciously.

"Trust me, I can absolutely promise you I am positively thrilled that both you _and _certain members of your families are here tonight," Tsukishima said, smiling in a way that really shouldn't be trusted at all.

"At least Daichi's having a good time," Asahi said, messing with the cuffs of his shirt and somehow fidgeting even more than usual. Noya grinned up at him, throwing him a wink which if anything only made Asahi fidget more, this time with a bright blush.

On the middle of the dance floor, Suga and Daichi moved close together, smiling with heads bowed in quiet conversation unable to be heard over the light music.

"That's because he's pretending he doesn't know us." Yamaguchi laughed.

"Lucky him," Tsuksihima deadpanned. He abruptly brightened. "Now, shush, the show is about to start."

Yamaguchi shook his head. "You're a terrible person."

Tsukishima smiled evilly. "What are you talking about? This is his Christmas gift!"

"_Terrible_."

"What are you talking about," Ennoshita asked at the same time Tanaka said, "What show?"

"Hush," Tsukishima ordered, rolling his eyes. "Honestly, you're making me regret inviting you."

"Ha! Five minutes! I win," Noya crowed just before Tsukishima elbowed him. "Ow!"

"Kei!"

The entire group turned just in time to see a tall man with blond hair and a bright smile amble across the ballroom.

Tanaka's eyes widened. "Wait, is that…"

"No way," Noya whispered back. "He's like Tsuki's exact opposite."

"Don't call me 'Tsuki'," Tsukishima muttered before turning to the other man. "Akiteru, so I see you finally found us."

The older Tsukishima grinned, entire expression fond and warm in complete contrast to his brother

Noya swore. "_Merlin, _no, they can't possibly be related."

Akiteru laughed. "We are. I promise! I can show you Kei's baby pictures if you don't believe me."

Tanaka and Noya perked up like Christmas came early.

Tsukishima glared. "No. He _won't._"

"Fine, fine," Akiteru waved it away easily. "But, only if you introduce me to your friends." He dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "I've been trying to meet you guys for ages! Kei talks about you all the time!"

"Really," Ennoshita asked skeptically.

"Well, okay, it's more to complain," Akiteru admitted. "But, that's just how Kei shows affection. Trust me."

"This is the best day of my life," Noya said in awe.

Tsukishima's expression soured even further before his eyes went to just above Akiteru's shoulder. He smirked. "Of course, I'll introduce you. Just wait one second, I think there's someone else that should be here."

Six pairs of eyes followed Tskishima's gaze.

Akiteru abruptly paled, eyes going wide.

Meanwhile, the blonde woman in the center of the ballroom caught their eyes. "Oi! Ryuu!"

A second later, Saeko Tanaka swung her way into the group with all the abrupt grace of a dive bombing dragon. If possible, Akiteru went even paler.

"Saeko!" Noya shouted, immediately responding to the fist bump the older woman offered him.

"You guys have gotten so much older," she said, eyeing the group. "What's been going on? Any more dragons you need me to smuggle out?"

Ennoshita groaned. "Please, no."

"Dragons?" Akiteru finally piped in, his voice sounding slightly mangled as the word squeaked out of his throat.

Saeko turned to him, squinting her eyes. "Hey, I remember you! You graduated like a year after me, right? Hufflepuff?"

Akiteru went from deathly pale to bright red so fast it was probably bad for his health. "I, um, yeah. I was, ah, Hufflepuff. And, um, you're, er, Grryfindor. I mean...I remember that you were in Gryffindor. Not that I...um, not that I was keeping track or anything. You know, just, um-"

Saeko took the mumbled response in stride, swinging an arm around him. "Aww and now, our little bros are friends! That means we've gotta be friends, yeah? I need someone to catch me up on Ryuu since _someone _never owls me!"

"I owl you plenty," Tanaka protested.

"Yeah, right." Saeko snorted, already dragging Akiteru away by the sleeve. "Come on, let's strategize."

Akiteru went with the air of a man going to his own execution.

Watching them go, Tsukishima smiled, sipping at his drink cheerfully.

Yamaguchi shook his head.

Tanaka squinted, looking at Tsukishima then looking at Saeko and Akiteru. "Er, Tsuki, weird question but, uh, does your brother have a crush on Saeko?"

"Oh, definitely. A major, disastrous, even hopeless crush, some might say." Tsuksihima took another sip. "Oh, and _don't _call me 'Tsuki.'"

"Seriously," Noya asked. "How long has he-"

"Five years."

Asahi frowned. "But, that would be back when they were in Hogwarts?"

Tsukishima hummed in affirmation.

"And you knew about it," Ennoshita asked, folding his arms.

"Of course."

Tanaka scrunched up his face. "But, why does he have a crush on-"

Tsukishima cut him off. "I'm sure if you have the hours and constitution for saccharine statements, he'd be happy to tell you."

"You didn't warn him she'd be here at all, did you," Ennoshita accused.

Yamaguchi nodded. "Tsuki's a terrible person."

"It's payback" Tsukishima responded succinctly. "For all the terrible advice he's ever given me."

Yamaguchi rolled his eyes. "Tsuki hates in whenever Akiteru gives him advice and he ignores it and _then_, Akiteru ends up being right and Tsuki-

"Yamaguchi, Shut Up!

"Sorry, Tsuki," Yamaguchi responded, not looking the tiniest bit repentant.

The group looked over to where Saeko was excitedly geturing to an Akiteru that looked closer to death with every word.

Ennoshita shook his head, reluctantly fond. "Yamaguchi's right. You're terrible."

Tsuksihima raised his glass in a cheer. "Bah Humbug!"

ooooo

"It can't be! It's simply impossible! A real life Christmas miracle! An _angel's _come to grace us mere mortals!"

Taka Kuroo raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have your friends to bother?"

"I'm sure they can manage without me for a few moments," Kuroo said, coming to stand next to his mother. "Instead, I think we should go back to my metaphor. Because if you're an angel, that means I'm _at least _half angel which makes perfect sense to me. I've always known I was divine."

Taka tsked. "How can a son of mine have such a large head?"

"Just blame all of my character faults on Dad. That's what I do."

Taka sent him a look over her glass and Kuroo obediently dropped the subject.

Around them, the party gave them a wide berth. The more cowardly of the crowd didn't even dare to look in their direction, instead moving as quickly as possible to further parts of the world. Kuroo swallowed down the impulse to yell at them, to scream until they _couldn't _look away.

Taka laid a hand on his shoulder, drawing his attention back to her.

He gave her a rueful smile.

No one ever said it was easy having a Mom that could read your mind. Kuroo wouldn't trade his for the world.

"That's sweet," Taka looped her arm with his, leading him to the windows and away from the crowd. "But you don't have to worry about me, sweetheart. I've been managing these parties for longer than you've been alive. I know what to expect. Not everyone's as comfortable with a Leglimens as you and your father."

"Then they're idiots," Kuroo muttered. "Dad should never make you come to these anyway."

Taka sighed. "He didn't _make_ me. He asked me. No, these parties aren't exactly my favorite but how would it look for him if his own wife wasn't even with him on Christmas Eve? I couldn't do that to him."

"Asking in a way where you can't say 'no' isn't really asking, is it," Kuroo retorted.

"Tetsuro, some day you're going to have to come to terms with the fact your father isn't the villain you make him out to be. He cares about us."

"He cares about _him_," Kuroo corrected. "Caring about us just happens to align with that goal."

Taka's mouth went pinched. "Yes, well for some, that's a better offer than anyone else was making."

_Doesn't mean you didn't deserve better_. Kuroo bit his tongue before he can say it.

Taka heard it anyway.

She ran a hand through his hair. "My sweet, kind, somewhat patronizing boy. I made my own decisions, Tetsuru. And, in case you haven't noticed, I got a wonderful son out of it. Now, stop regretting choices _for me_ and tell me more about what you and your friends have been up to. No basilisks this year, I hope."

Kuroo shook his head. "You haven't told Dad about that, right?"

"I do know how to keep secrets. Unlike someone."

Kuroo grinned

"You told them about the time turner, didn't you?"

"Like you don't already know," Kuroo protested.

Taka took another sip from her glass. "And how's my future son-in-law?"

"_Mom,_" Kuroo whined. "I told you to stop calling him that!"

Taka laughed. "Tetsuro, it's been eleven years, how long are you going to keep waiting around?"

"I don't even know if he feels the same way," he argued weakly.

"Oh, please."

Kuroo sighed, leaning against her.

"Tell me I'm wrong then," Kuroo whispered. "Tell me if Dad finds out, he won't find a way to use him in whatever the next political mess he finds himself in. Kenma doesn't deserve that. My friends don't deserve that. They deserve to make their own choices without Ozuro Kuroo whispering in their ears for whatever he thinks would be best. It's always a trap, all it takes is one in and then he'll be trying to manipulate them forever. It's safer this way."

Taka didn't tell him he was wrong. Probably because if there's anyone in the world who understood his father better than Kuroo himself, it was his mother. Even when she prefered pretending she didn't.

She pressed her hand to his cheek. "You deserve to be happy, Tetsuro."

"I am happy." Kuroo smiled. "Stop regretting my choices _for me._"

"Why do my eyes deceive me? Taka Kuroo?"

Both mother and son looked up to see an older stout man with sharp blue eyes and a ready smile, braving the expanse separating them from the rest of the crowd.

"Minister Daishou," Taka greeted, clearly surprised.

"Please, my dear, I've worked with your husband for two decades now. You can call me Masaru." The Minister winked, leaning down to kiss her hand.

Taka's expression remained stiff and tight, eyes flying to the concerned whispers of the onlookers. "Minister-Masaru, I feel I should warn you-"

"Don't worry." Masaru rapped his knuckles against his forehead. "I'm afraid the Ministry was rather insistent on training me up in Occlumency. Though even if not, I have to say I'd probably be willing to risk one or two state secrets for the company of a delightful conversationalist."

Taka's shoulders relaxed, mouth turning up in a smile. "I doubt the taxpayers would agree."

"Yes, well taxpayers rarely want me to have any fun. Ruins the whole imposing Minister facade, I imagine." He turned to Kuroo. "And this must be your son Tetsuro. Though from what I've heard from your father, I'm surprised to find you away from the crowds. I hear you want to follow your father into politics?"

Kuroo's lips thinned. "My father and I have a very different idea of my future."

"Tetsuro," Taka warned.

Masaru only laughed. "I understand completely. When I was your age, my father was _convinced _I'd go into potion making-as if I hadn't nearly burned my fingers off half a dozen times before third year."

He turned to Taka. "My dear, I wonder if you wouldn't mind me borrowing your son for a moment? I hear the Department of Mystery has him involved in another of their little pet projects."

"I suppose I can spare him for just a bit, Minister."

Kuroo thought up as clear a picture of a grimace as he can manage. In return, his mother shot him a look he didn't need to be a full Leglimens to translate.

_Behave._

Well, Kuroo supposed it was a bit too foolhardy to think he could get out of the political element of the party completely. At least, he could still avoid his dad.

With movements that spoke of long experience avoiding party crowds, the Minister quickly maneuvered them to an overhanging balcony before turning to Kuroo with bright eyes.

"So, tell me the truth, how's the time turner working out?"

"More than adequate," Kuroo answered politely, falling back to his role as Ozuro Kuroo's obedient heir. "It's been helping tremendously with my classes and, as long as I monitor the usage, I don't think it's influenced by stress levels or sleep schedule too dramatically. In fact, in my observations, I-"

Masaru waved a hand, cutting him. "No, no, save the academics for the Unspeakables. _I _want to know if you've actually managed anything exciting with it yet. I swear what I wouldn't give to have access to a time turner back in my Hogwarts days! I'm sure I'd have accidentally destroyed the castle in a week. Whatever you and your friends have been up to, you kids are certainly more responsible than me."

Kuroo's entire brain stalled. "Er...I'm not supposed to tell anyone about the time turner, Minister."

Masaru laughed. "Son, those stuffy Unspeakables might have completely forgotten what it was to be sixteen, but I dare hope I'm not that old yet. There's not a teenager alive who gets time travel and _doesn't _want to tell someone."

Kuroo was trying very hard not to let his mouth hang open.

"Come on, let me live a bit vicariously. Just between us, use it for anything interesting?"

Kuroo cautiously began, "well, I certainly wouldn't want to admit to anything-"

"Of course not."

"But," Kuroo smiled, "hypothetically, I might've _accidentally _discovered just a few not strictly academic uses for it."

The Minister laughed, clear and bright. "Good for you, son. By the way, on the record, I of course know nothing about this."

"Of course," Kuroo agreed, relaxing his shoulders slightly.

"You know…," Masaru tilted his head, "my great grand nephew has mentioned you quite a bit. And a few of your friends. Iwaizumi and Oikawa, I believe."

Kuroo pulled a face. "Suguru Daishou talks about us?"

"Well, 'curses your very existence' would be more accurate."

Kuroo mouth shut with a click before he could make a comment.

Masaru winked. "It's fine. I know my nephew can be...well, a bit of a prick if I'm being honest."

"He's a good guy," Kuroo argued halfheartedly. "It's just, you know, really, really, deep down."

"That's good to hear." Masaru studied him. "My point is from what he told me, I've always been a bit surprised your father is so insistent of your interest in politics. You didn't seem the type."

Kuroo fought back a grimace. "I'm _not_ the type."

"Wise choice." Masaru nodded. "Though I guess that's a bit selfish coming from me. Something tells me you could give me a run for my money in a few years. Even more than your dad's working at."

"Definitely not interested," Kuroo confirmed.

Masaru hummed. "Well, just in case, let me give you one piece of advice. One dodgering old Minister to a smart kid." He paused, lowering his voice. "No one's ever only what they seem to be. And that's more than just politics."

Kuroo raised an eyebrow. "Even you?"

Masaru laughed so loud it echoed off the balcony.

"Knew you were a smart one." Masaru winked. "_Especially_ not me. How do you think I got to be Minister?"

ooooo

The noise of the party thrummed against the beat in her ears. Yachi herself felt oddly detached from it all, focusing instead on the flow of the crowd. Waiting for her moment.

Her mother glided from guest to guest with the kind of sharp wit and poise that Yachi could never imagine attaining even if she had a thousand years.

Yachi waited alone, hovering against the wall as she tried to gather her nerves.

Barely five minutes ago, Hinata had already been practically dragged away by Ennoshita's enthusiastic cousin, shooting Yachi an apologetic look the entire way. Kageyama had hesitated only briefly before Yachi nodded and he followed after Hinata like a shadow to the sun.

She took a breath. She could do this.

"Having fun?"

She jumped, turning to see Yamaguchi coming to lean beside her on the wall.

He smiled apologetically. "Sorry, you've just got this whole tense aura thing going on, I just wanted to see if you're okay?"

"Oh. No, I'm...I'm fine." Yachi tried and failed to relax her shoulders. "I guess I'm trying to find my Gryffindor courage."

Yamaguchi laughed. "You know I'm pretty sure that's just a lie we tell first years."

Yachi grimaced. "That makes a surprising amount of sense...Maybe I should stop trying to find it then and just go ahead and do it."

"You've done pretty good so far."

Her mother waved farewell to the last of her group, eyes going up as she searched for the next party goer.

She straightened, throwing one last glance at Yamaguchi. "Thanks, Tadashi."

Yamaguchi smiled. "Anytime. Us timid Gryffindors gotta stick together."

Yachi smiled back and finally-_finally-_made her way across the room to her mother.

Her mother looked surprised. "Hitoka, what-"

"I need to talk to you." Yachi met her eyes. "Please."

Madoka frowned, guiding her daughter to a quiet corner of the ballroom. "What is it?"

Yachi felt he throat go dry. The sounds of the party seemed to fall away until all that was left was her and her mother in their own quiet fragile corner of the world where only a few words could break everything apart.

Yachi spoke the words, anyway. And maybe it wasn't Gryffindor courage….but it was something.

"I want to know about dad's death," she said quietly. "I _deserve _to know about dad's death. And Aunt Kirika. They were my family. I deserve to know how they died."

Madoka's expression went blank.

"You do know about their deaths," her mother said flatly. "One of the Giant's Ghosts broke into the house and killed them. What more do you want to know?"

Yachi set her mouth. "Where were you? Why weren't you there?"

Madoka sighed. "I was working, Hitoka. It was right after the Battle of Spinner's End. We had _hundreds _of Ghosts still in lockup at the Ministry, awaiting trial. I was still in my second year as a Ministry law clerk. _Of course _I had to work." Madoka finally looked away. "I left your father and Kirika alone in the house to watch you. It's something...something that I bitterly regret to this day. By the time, I got home...everything was already over. Maybe if I stayed, I could have-"

Her mother shook off the thought. "It's not something I like to think about, Hitoka, so if you're finished-"

"Why didn't you give dad and Aunt Kirika an obituary," Yachi demanded. "Why is there _nothing _in the paper about their deaths? How did the Ghost get into the house? Why were we targeted in the first place? And if-," she took a breath, "-if you only came home after they died, then why...why didn't the Ghost kill me, too?"

Madoka's expression flickered, too fast fo Yachi to tell what it would have been.

"What aren't you telling me, Mom," Yachi asked. "..._Why _aren't you telling me? If everything...if everything really happened just like that, then what do you have to hide?

Madoka turned away. "I'm done answering questions tonight, Hitoka."

"Mom! Mom, wait!" Yachi grabbed her hand. "Please! Just tell me! What are you hiding?"

"_You don't want to know!" _Madoka finally snapped, snatching her hand out of Yachi's grip causing Yachi to stumble forward

Yachi's breath caught.

Madoka sighed, whatever she was thinking carefully tucked away again under a careful mask.

"Hitoka," she said gently. "Please...just believe me. There are things you don't need to know. I'm doing this because I love you."

Yachi's mouth fell shut.

Her eyes stung as she shook her head. "I don't believe you."

She was already running away before her mother had a chance to respond.

The Tsukishima estate was massive and the crowd of the party swelled to fill its rooms, easy enough to hide one slight thirteen year old girl who, for once, _desperately _wanted to be alone.

Her eyes were still stinging, the first tears finally spilling over, when someone grabbed her arm.

An old witch scowled down at her, lines around her face wrinkling like an overripe fruit with pale hair pulled severely into a bun.

"Stop running, girl," the witch bit out. "You almost hit me!"

"I'm….I'm sorry," Yachi stuttered out, "I was just….I-"

The witch squinted at her. "Who are you?"

Yachi tried to get her breathing back under control. "I'm Yachi Hitoka, mam."

The witch dropped her arm as if burnt, all but shoving Yachi back.

"Get away from me," the witch hissed. "How dare you even show your face here! You're _her _daughter!"

Yachi blinked. "I-I'm sorry?"

"Sorry?" The witch laughed bitingly. "As if a Uragiri girl has ever been sorry a day in her life!"

"Do you….do you know my mother?"

"You don't have a single clue who I am do you, girl?"

The witch's scowl darkened.

"I'm Chiasa Yachi," the witch spit out. "And, yes, I know _your mother! _She killed my son!"

Yachi's heart was beating painfully in her chest as the old woman glared at her, daring her to respond.

Yachi tried. "What are-"

"Excuse me, is there a problem?"

A hand landed on Yachi's shoulder and she turned to see Yamaguchi frowning at the old woman.

"Yes," the woman said darkly. "I'm afraid the Tsukshima's guest list has fallen to a level I can no longer be a part of. I'm leaving. And keep _her _away from me while I do."

With that, the old woman turned, the crowd all but parting around her as she made her way to the floo.

Yachi still stood in shocked silence.

"You okay?" Yamaguchi looked down at her. "I saw you run out. Don't worry about her. Some of the older guests are just like that. Mean and petty like the entire world revolves around them. Don't let it get to you. I don't even know who that woman was."

"I do." Yachi swallowed. "I think...I think that was my grandmother."


	12. Back to Business

_She killed my son._

The shriek of the train whistle echoed in Yachi's ears, not quite loud enough to block out the words running tirelessly through her head.

_I know your mother. She killed my son._

Under Yachi's hand, the fabric of the scarf she'd been idly twisting grew tighter and tighter, pulling at the threads until they stretched and warped.

_Your mother….killed my son._

_Madoka Yachi….killed Naoki Yachi._

Everything was wrong. Twisted and stretched to thin like the scarf in her hands. Yachi didn't know what to do, what to think, who to believe.

Did my mother kill him?

That was wrong. It had to be. It was a lie….or….or maybe an exaggeration. Yes, an exaggeration. That was all it was. After all, her mother already told her she blamed herself for being at work when her husband was killed. Maybe Chiasa Yachi believed that, too.

Her _grandmother_, why wasn't she ever told she had a grandmother?

_You're her daughter._

Yachi felt distinctly sick. It wasn't her anxiety. Not this time. She knew how it felt to have stress curling around in her stomach. This….this was something different. This was….

..._betrayal._

No.

Anger and nausea mixed together and Yachi….Yachi was so incredibly sick of being _lied _to.

She wanted the truth. She _needed_-

"Yachi?"

Yachi jolted, looking away from the train window to see Kageyama staring at her.

Without a word, his hands went to the scarf pried in her lap, gently taking her hands until they weren't straining bone white against the red and gold thread.

Yachi finally took a breath, a sudden intake of air that reminded her exactly how long she'd been lost in her thoughts.

He raised an eyebrow. _Are you alright?_

Every now and then, Yachi was reminded that of all three of them, it's _Kageyama _that watches the most. Three years and sometimes Yachi was still surprised that someone is even looking.

She gave a weak smile in return, turning her hand to squeeze his tightly once in gratitude. It was not an answer but it's a response and that's usually enough to appease Kageyama.

He nodded, letting the matter drop just in time for Lev to let out a particularly loud sob.

"It's beautiful," Lev whispered, finger tracing down the wood handle of the broom. "A Firebolt 360. I never thought I'd see one outside a store. This is it. The most important moment of my entire life. I can die happy now."

Hinata beamed, looking over his new broom proudly.

Meanwhile, Kenma shot Lev a single glance over his book. "If you marry that broom, Lev, please don't invite me to the wedding."

"Oh, I can't," Lev said wistfully, wiping away a stray tear, "everyone knows marrying inanimate objects has been illegal since the Wizamagot Ruling of 1678."

Kenma actually did look up at that, giving Lev a weird look. "That wasn't really-"

"Why would everyone know that," Kageyama interrupted, equally mystified.

"Who cares," Hinata hugged the new broom to his chest. "All I know is that this is the best broom ever. Thanks, guys! This is like….the most amazing, best present anyone's ever gotten ever."

Kageyama shrugged, mumbling under his breath, "Well, it was Christmas."

"I just hope Firebolts have better charms against ice than your old Nimbus," Yachi said, speaking up finally.

"Don't worry, I'm sure it does." Hinata smirked mischievously and the entire compartment suddenly tensed. "Besides, after the last few semesters, what else could go wrong?"

"_QUIT SAYING THAT!"_

ooooooo

"_Awwww! _That's right! Come over here," Noya cooed as a boa constrictor larger than Asahi wrapped their way around his entire body. "Look how much they've grown, guys!"

The rest of the Crows stood a respectable ten feet away.

"Er, yeah," Yamaguchi said, "it's really terrif-_amazing _how much they've, ah, grown."

Still in their boa constrictor form, the boggarts let out a long hiss before stretching out their mouth wide enough for glistening fangs to glint in the afternoon sun.

Ennoshita shuddered. "Hard to believe the boggarts are the ones in need of protecting."

The boggarts shifted, snake melting away until hundreds of spiders were running down Noya's arms and down into the clearing below. Noya looked down fondly at a few brussel sprouts still sitting in his hand.

"Cute," he said before looking up at the rest of the group. "That's a good sign. The colony's finally gotten big enough to work in separate teams to hold multiple shapes. That's really, _really _amazing, guys. It's only boggarts that aren't strong enough to hold _any _shapes that devolve enough to form dementors."

Tsukishima stepped forward, finally braving setting a hand on the ground so a small group of spiders could run along his fingers. "Of course, it would be a bloody _good _thing that the boggarts can scare us in two ways now."

Noya kept smiling. "Hey, you never know, in a couple more months they might finally be strong enough to imitate speech! Won't that be awesome!"

That sent another shudder running through the crowd.

"I forgot boggarts could do that," Asahi said, somewhat pitifully. Then, he frowned. "Wait, _how _can they do that? How do they learn?"

Noya shrugged. "Nobody knows. It's not like many people chose to study boggarts anyway." He paused. "If you want my guess, though, I don't think it's real speech."

"How can it not be real speech," Daichi asked, coming over to glance at the brussel sprouts in Noya's hand.

"Same way parseltongues work," Noya said. "It's not quite a language. Not really. A snake brain's too different from a wizard. It's just magic translating the different impulses. Ask Suga, it's not like snakes are talking to him about advanced magical theory. Why would a snake care about that? It's basic impulses-survival, danger, warnings." He looked down at the brussel sprouts. "Boggarts are the same just with fear. They don't _know _what's your worst fear. They just translate the impulses based on what you're thinking about."

Yamaguchi hummed. "So, they don't really know a language…."

"They just translate your fear into sounds that will make you afraid," Noya agreed. "And sometimes those sounds are words."

Yamaguchi smiled. "You know what? I think you're right. That _is _kind of cool….still mostly terrifying, though."

Noya grinned.

"Now, all we gotta do is make sure those assholes at the Ministry don't get their grimy hands on them," Tanaka said, slinging an arm around Noya's shoulders and waving the Ministry notice in his hands.

Ennoshita took it from Tanaka's hand. "I don't see why they have to do it on exam week, though. How much you want to bet they did that _just _so we'd have less time to prepare a case?"

"Heh, actually according to Aunt Yuka, a Ministry committee was already scheduled to come here. Like _months_ before we even sent the request." Noya paused again. "Not to say the Ministry still aren't the biggest dicks to ever exist. That's still fair."

Tsukishima frowned. "Why would a Ministry committee already be coming to Hogwarts?"

"How should I know?" Noya shrugged.

ooooooo

Suga leaned up against the bed frame. "Apparently the Ministry committee's coming to evaluate Kuroo's time turner research during exam week. Can you believe it?"

"Assholes," Oikawa agreed, digging under his bed for his spare potion kit. "You have any extra graphorn horn?"

Suga raised an eyebrow but obediently grabbed his own potion kit to start sorting through it.

He handed the vial over to Oikawa. "What in the world are you trying to make with graphorn horn?"

"Not making, testing," Oikawa corrected cryptically, tilting a vial until what looked like wood splinters shone in the lamplight.

The door to the dorm swung open, a snickering Hanamaki and Matsukawa rushing into the dorm.

Oikawa sighed deeply. "And I was having such a nice night."

He turned to the tricksters. "Well, what did you two do this time? Will we at least be able to sleep peacefully tonight or will a horde of your enraged victims be banging down our door with pitchforks."

Matsukawa smirked. "I suppose you'd know all about enraged hordes, wouldn't you? Hey, I heard Iku from Gryffindor almost jinxed your face green."

Hanamaki let out a low whistle. "What a ladies' man. We haven't even been back five hours and a girl already wants to kill you. That's impressive right there, isn't it, Matsu?"

"Deeply," Matsukawa agreed. "You do know 'beat them off with a stick' isn't meant to be literal. Right, Tooru?"

"All I said was that I couldn't go with her to Hogsmeade this weekend," Oikawa huffed, crossing her arms. "It's not _my _fault she didn't take it well."

Hanamaki elbowed him. "Yeah, but why couldn't you go with her?"

"...her sister asked me first."

Matsukawa let out another loud snicker. "Only you."

Oikawa turned to Suga. "I take back every complaint I ever made that Matsu and Makki were being suspiciously quiet. Bliss! It was bliss, Suga. And I was a poor misguided fool for not enjoying it while it lasted."

"Aww, look at that, Matsu, he missed us," Hanamaki crooned.

"Temporary insanity," Oikawa shot back.

"Told you it would annoy him," Matsukawa said, sitting on his bed.

Oikawa glared. "Wait! Are you telling me that you two practically didn't talk for _an entire _month and there wasn't even a larger scheme involved! You idiots just did it to irritate me!"

"Sometimes it's not about the big, elaborate plans," Hanamaki said, stroking his chin with a look of exaggerated contemplation. "Sometimes it's just the little things."

"You see, Oikawa, Makki and I are able to enjoy the simpler pleasures of life," Matsukawa added. "You should try it sometime."

Suga gently grabbed Oikawa's wand arm before he could hex them.

"...no, I don't believe it," Oikawa said finally. "You two _were _planning something! I know it!"

Matsukawa shook his head, leaning back. "Truly, it's like the gift that keeps on giving."

Oikawa took a deep breath before looking back to Suga. "I want a room transfer."

Suga smiled. "The other third year boy's dorm has Daishou."

He grimaced. "Fine. I'm transferring. How about Ravenclaw?"

"You and Kuroo would kill each other."

"Gryffindor."

"Iwaizumi would kick you out if you tried.

"I think I could win him over but fine. Hufflepuff? I can be friendly."

Suga just laughed.

"Well, fine," Oikawa hefted his potion kit into his arms, "since I can't get a room change, I suppose I'll just leave and get some actual work done. I'll be in the potions lab."

"Hard work! There's that future Hufflepuff spirit," Hanamaki said, applauding.

Oikawa gave him a rude hand gesture, heading for the door.

Suga followed him out. "You know you never answered my question. What are you testing with graphorn horn?"

"Just following a suspicion…..if we're lucky, I'll just be wrong."

Suga paused at the top of the stairs. "Oikawa, when are we ever that lucky?"

"Always a first," he mused.

"Tell me before it all goes horribly wrong?"

"Don't I always?"

ooooooo

Outside the castle, the air was quiet and still in the way that only came during a new moon. If he was being entirely honest, Noya didn't particularly like new moons. He wasn't made for stillness.

Still….maybe he should appreciate them more. After all, _anything_ was better than a full moon.

And, besides, sometimes the best kind of moments could only be found under a still, dark sky.

Noya grinned. "Can't sleep?"

Folded in the common room window seat, Asahi looked up and smiled softly.

Noya's heart beat a little bit faster. The way it always did the second before he caught a Snitch, the moment he saw an entirely new creature, and the rare minutes he found himself alone with Asahi.

Asahi made room on the window seat beside him and Noya didn't have to think twice before scooting in beside him.

The common room was empty around them, the rest of the Gryffindors already snuck out or tucked away in their beds trying to get sleep before school started back in the morning. Even the common room fire had already been snuffed out, the hints of cold creeping back through the stone.

Noya took the excuse where he could, sliding close enough to Asahi that he could feel the heat radiating off the larger boy.

"_Lumos_," Noya muttered, wand lighting up between them until he could make out the soft edges of Asahi's smile barely an arm length away.

To tell the truth, Asahi looked slightly ridiculous, wide frame too big for the slim seat so he was half hanging off the side and half plastered in close to the window.

His smile was relaxed, though, a rare expression on the normally anxious face.

Noya's own smile widened. He thought Asahi looked perfect.

….he might be slightly biased, though. He always thought Asahi looked perfect.

As if reading his mind, Asahi blushed. "You should be asleep."

"Aww, is that your way of saying you don't want my company," Noya teased. "I'm hurt!"

Asahi rolled his eyes. "You know it's not that."

Noya tilted his head. "Hmmm, and why would I know that? Huh, Asahi?"

Asahi's blush deepened and Noya took pity on him. Never push Asahi further than he's comfortable-that was Noya's golden rule.

It was fine. Asahi has always been worth waiting for.

"You know," Noya said, dropping back to a conversational tone, "if _I _should be asleep, you should, too, you know."

Because Noya was a saint, he didn't even make a crack about sharing a bed.

"It's a nice night," Asahi said, interrupting Noya's thoughts.

Noya followed Asahi's gaze out the window, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness beyond it. Outside, the night was clear and the stars reflected softly off the lake below. In the quiet of the night, if Noya listened very closely, there was the light sound of wind hitting the window and the distant sound of owls.

When he looked back, Asahi ducked his head. "Nights like these are my favorite. The ones where you can see the stars without the moon blocking them out."

Noya hummed softly in consideration, opting to stay quiet so he could watch the light play across Asahi's face just a bit longer.

Most people would say that Noya didn't even know the meaning of the word "quiet". That wasn't quite right. Noya _wasn't _quiet, it wasn't his nature, not something he even thought of most of the time.

But, he did _know _how to be quiet. He knew how to stay still and calm until the more skittish creatures felt brave enough to come into sight. He knew how to quiet his breathing and hear the rustling of the trees around him, sometimes the only clue that something was even there.

He knew that some kinds of beings only shown the brightest when they thought no one was looking.

Noya never told anyone. But, he thinks those kind are the best.

"You ever wonder how many stars are out there," Noya asked.

Asahi shrugged. "Probably a bit less than your and Tanaka's detention record."

Noya laughed, the sound lilting and echoing against the window. "Why does no one ever believe _you're _the snarky one?"

Asahi smiled back, lifting his arms to gesture to his bulk. "Oh, what haven't you heard? Rumor for the first years is I'm secretly in my ninth year."

"People are idiots," Noya said fondly. "All they'd have to do is see your Healing grades."

"Yeah, well," Asahi looked down, eyes hiding behind the longer strands of hair, "not everyone is as good at looking past appearances."

Noya leaned in, almost on his knees until he could bend forward enough to push Asahi's hair back and see his eyes.

"They don't know what they're missing," Noya said. He wasn't sure when he started whispering.

Asahi looked back up at him, faces inches away.

He swallowed. "We should probably get back to bed, shouldn't we?"

Noya leaned back into his previous position, back pressed against the wall and head leaning on the window pane. "Probably."

Neither boy made to move any further.

Noya took it back. Maybe new moons were his favorites, after all.

ooooooo

Yachi shouldn't be here.

The library was dark around her and Yachi should be in bed, trying to sleep instead of sneaking in to look at books she could find anytime.

Instead, she tucked the invisibility cloak just a little tighter around her as her finger ran along the shelves.

_There._

She pulled out the records books, turning through them one more time as she scanned through the names.

_Naoki Yachi. Madoka Uragiri. Kirika Uragiri._

Entire school lives stripped down to numbers. N.E.W.T. rankings. Dueling awards. Quidditch positions. Detention slips. Class attendance.

And absolutely nothing that could tell Yachi anything that she _needed _to know.

Nothing….always, always _nothing_. Just passing comments or excuses or dry pieces of paper that could only give her hints but nothing actually substantial and Yachi….

Yachi was breathing heavily and she felt….she felt abruptly forgotten. She felt like a small, stupid girl that everyone forgot to notice. Not actually there, just part of the background. A lonely side character in a larger play, one that didn't even get to know the plot.

She shouldn't be a side character in her own life.

She didn't want to be.

Abruptly, Yachi realized she was crying. She was sitting on the cold library floor with stinging eyes looking down at yellow pages that couldn't tell her anything.

Maybe she should forget it.

Yachi wasn't brave. She knew that, no matter what an old hat tried to tell her. So, maybe, she should just give up. It wouldn't be any different than what she was used to. Not really. Before Hogwarts, Yachi was used to staying inside her comfortable boundaries rather than braving the unknown. Was it really so bad to do it again?

In a way, staying with what she knew, with what she was comfortable with, should be the easiest thing in the world?

The only thing was….

Yachi wasn't that person anymore.

She didn't know when she stopped. Maybe it had been months ago, walking through sewers to fight a basilisk. Maybe the year before that, trapped between a wall of rocks and centuries old puzzles. Or maybe….maybe it had even been before that. Maybe it was when she was crying in the bathroom and two boys she barely knew came to find her.

The point was….Yachi didn't want to go back to being the type of person who gave up.

She wasn't a side character, anymore.

And maybe….just maybe there _was _still something she could do.

Outside the windows, the sun was just starting to rise as Yachi slipped the books back into the shelves and made a decision.

She stood and started to walk. Out of the library and down the halls. Passed the Great Halls where the house elves hadn't even set up for breakfast.

Here is what Yachi knew.

She knew that some people were bright and loud and larger than life. People like Hinata, like Bokuto, like Oikawa, like Lev, and even like Kageyama in his own quiet sort of way. The kind that drew in attention as unconsciously as breathing. The kind of people that were expected to be at the center of the story because, truthfully, they were never really out of the spotlight.

Yachi knew these people, understood them, loved them. But, Yachi was not one of these people.

Yachi was of another type. She was the type of person who worked around the edges. The kind of person that when drawn into the spotlight had people frowning, talking curiously to each other as if they recognized subconsciously that something was strange about that picture.

Yachi wasn't meant to be loud. She didn't want to be.

She did not want to yell, did not want to live constantly in the light in the way that Hinata and Kageyama did.

But, Yachi was tired of not being heard.

She knocked on the door.

There was a thump, a scratching sound, and then a long, long pause before slowly the door opened and the tired eyes of Professor Rezei stared down at her.

"Hitoka?"

Yachi stared back. "Tell me how my father died."

ooooooo

Hinata loved the mornings.

Honestly, he didn't understand why Kageyama would do something as boring as _sleep _when mornings were like the best time ever! Mornings meant sunrises and breakfast and if he was _really _lucky being the first person down on the Quidditch pitch.

Really the only thing that could make mornings better was more people being up to enjoy them.

It was okay, though. Hinata could entertain himself until everyone else woke up.

….well, alright, maybe he could find some portraits that were awake already.

The point still stood. Mornings were the best.

A hand grabbed him and pulled him roughly into an alcove.

"Ow!" Hinata blinked, staring up at his attacker. He frowned. "Why can't you ever just say 'Good morning' like a normal person!"

Oikawa rolled his eyes. "Well, see, there's your first mistake. Never assume I'd sink myself to _normal_." He wrinkled his nose. "Speaking of not normal, why are you even up this early? It's barely sunrise; I thought my locator spell was lying."

"I _like _mornings." Hinata rubbed at his arm. "Why are _you_ up, then?"

"Never slept," Oikawa answered breezily. "Anyway, that's not important-"

"Yachi says sleep is important even if it's boring."

"_Anyway_, the important thing is this." Oikawa held up a vial with what looked like faintly glowing splinters of wood in them.

Hinata tilted his head. "Um, neat?"

"Not neat." Oikawa pocketed the vial with a flourish. "Very _not _neat. The kind of not neat that means I'm up before six in the morning instead of getting my precious beauty sleep. _These _are splinters from your old broom. You remember? The one that bloody exploded!"

"And you made it glow," Hinata asked cautiously.

"The potion made it glow," Oikawa explained. "A highly complicated and far too time consuming detection potion made it glow. Which means this broom was treated with a potion, specifically one to remove the charm against ice. In other words…."

Oikawa's tone lost its humor and abruptly Hinata knew the words before he said them.

"Someone's trying to kill you."

oooooo

Next Chapter: Mistakes Were Made


	13. Mistakes Were Made

Oikawa stared at Hinata.

Hinata stared right back.

Oikawa broke first. "What do you mean _am I sure?!_"

Hinata shrugged. "I just think...well, don't you think that's a little bit of an exaggeration. It's probably not _that_ big of a deal."

"Not that-not that _big of a_-," Oikawa manfully resisted the urge to strangle him. "Someone's trying to _kill you_ and you don't think it's that big of a deal!"

"Why would someone want to kill me," Hinata asked.

"Oh, trust me, I'm understanding the feeling more and more."

Hinata huffed, looking ridiculously unbothered as he tried futilely to straighten his tie. "Remember last year?"

"Not the later part," Oikawa shot back acidically. "In case, you forgot I was attacked by a bloody monster snake!"

"See and that's why I'm not worried," Hinata said, nodding along as if there was absolutely anything logical about what he just said.

Oikawa glared. "Explain. Now."

"Last year, we both thought the Heir of Slytherin was trying to kill all the muggleborns and everyone freaked out and then, I had to go under stupid protection when really it was just like because Suga had a mind link with an insane basilisk." Hinata smiled. "Or something like that, anyway. I never really understood that part."

Oikawa hates him. He _hates _him. His life was so much simpler before he decided to take idiotic third years under his wing.

"How is that better," Oikawa demanded.

"Because no one _really _wanted to kill us," Hinata pointed out. "It was just bad timing. Like the stuff with Sora the year before. This is probably like that, too." He paused. "Or, I don't know, maybe the Slytherin team was trying to sabotage my broom."

"Really?" Oikawa gave him as judgmental look as was physically possible. "You really think no one's trying to kill you? That it was just _bad luck._"

"Well, it's possible, right," Hinata prevaricated. "It's not like I'm famous or anything. I'm just a normal third year. Who would even want to kill me?"

Annoyingly, Oikawa didn't have an answer.

Across from him, Hinata smiled sheepishly at whatever face Oikawa was making and then with the remarkably _little _self preservation he had left, stayed quiet and allowed Oikawa to think.

Oikawa watched him.

"You're not an idiot," Oikawa finally said after a long moment of consideration. "I _know _you're not an idiot. Despite the varied and somewhat overwhelming evidence that would support the opposite."

"Hey!"

Oikawa ignored him, ticking off his fingers as he counted. "Three times. First with the broken stair. Second with the mislabeled potion kit. Third with the broom."

"Maybe I'm just unlucky. That's what everyone else always says."

"Even _you're _not that unlucky."

Hinata grimaced.

"Like I was saying, I know you're not an idiot." Oikawa crossed his arms. "Which means you can't possibly be stupid enough not to not be concerned about multiple _murder attempts. _So, please, explain to me why you're being entirely too resistant to common sense?"

Hinata winced. "I'm not being stupid. I'm being...practical."

Stupid, dumb, crazy, moronic little…

"_How_," Oikawa spit out.

Hinata sighed, muttering something under his breath.

Oikawa narrowed his eyes, just _daring _him.

"Okay, fine, I just…," Hinata pulled at his collar again, looking uncomfortable, "don't want to tell Kageyama and Yachi and Kenma and Lev because they worry and that's sucks and it'll probably be fine so, yeah," He smiled hopefully. "What if we just don't tell anyone?"

"Changed my mind. You really _are _an idiot," Oikawa said in exasperation.

"Easy for you to say," Hinata shot back. "You've never seen Kenma's sad face!"

Oikawa grabbed him. "Hinata! For Merlin's sake, you're telling them that someone is trying to _kill you!_"

Hinata's shoulders slumped and he looked up at Oikawa with those annoyingly big eyes of his. "You sure?"

Oikawa didn't bother answering.

"I hate it when they worry," Hinata mumbled before squaring up, looking up at Oikawa. "...okay, fine, I'll tell them someone _might, _maybe, possibly be trying to kill me."

Oikawa patted his head like a well-behaved puppy. "Good."

Honestly, sometimes Oikawa wondered where his dumb little mentee could have _possibly _picked up such bad self-preservation habits from.

"Would you tell your friends," Hinata asked suspiciously. "If someone was trying to kill _you_?"

Oh, right, that's where.

"Of course," Oikawa lied smoothly.

And speaking of his friends…

Hinata sighed one last time. "Ah, man, and Yachi's busy enough as it is."

ooooooo

Yachi stared down at the mug of hot chocolate in her hands, trying fitfully to dry the tears still running down her cheeks.

"Yachi-_Hitoka, _please," Rezei leaned down in front of her, eyebrow pinched. "Drink something, alright? Trust me, chocolate always has a way of making anything a bit better."

Wiping again at her eyes, Yachi finally took a small sip, breathing slowly as she felt the hot liquid warm all the way through her chest.

Rezei smiled softly. "There you go. That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Thank you," Yachi whispered.

"Of course."

His smile fell down into a hard line.

"Now," he began firmly, "I need you to tell me what happened? Did someone say something to you? Someone hurt you? One of the older students maybe or-"

"No," Yachi interrupted, wiping at her cheeks as more tears started to come, "I'm...I'm not sad, I'm _angry_!" She gripped the mug tighter. "I think I'm furious, actually. And more than anything, I'm done being kept out of things that I _should_ know about. I'm finished being told to wait, of being _lied _to. I need-," she took a breath, staring up at him, "I need you to tell me how they died."

Rezei hesitated. "Hitoka-"

"They're _my _father, _my _godmother," she said. "I deserve to know. And my mother refuses to tell me."

Rezei sighed. "You asked Madoka, then?"

"She told me I didn't need to know." Yachi let out a cut off laugh that wasn't anywhere near funny. "She told me...she told me she wasn't going to tell me because she loved me. How can you love someone if you don't even want to talk to them?"

"Oh, Hitoka," Rezei reached out to grip her hand, looking far too sad, "love is so much more complicated than that. And Madoka," he shook his head, "she's always been bad about protecting the wrong things in the wrong ways. Ever since she was a child. I had hoped she'd learned better by now."

"Will you tell me, then?" Yachi met his eyes. "My mother _won't_ so will _you_ tell me how they died?"

Rezei didn't answer immediately before finally, he nodded.

"I'll tell you," he agreed. "But, I need you to understand one thing first. One thing." He gave her a tired smile. "If not, I'd be doing too much of a disservice to Naoki and despite...despite how much we disagreed, especially...particularly in the end. He will always be one of my dearest friends."

"What is it," she asked.

"I need you to understand that they all wanted the best for you." Rezei said, looking directly into Yachi's eyes. "All of them-your mother, your father, _your godmother_-they loved you more than anything in this world."

Before Yachi could say anything, he gave a tired smile. "And love can blind even the smartest of people." Rezei looked down, sighing. "I suspect...I suspect Madoka didn't want to tell you because she blames herself."

_She killed my son._

Yachi swallowed. "Why?"

"The Giant's War was complicated," Rezei said. "Possibly the worst part of all is that you hardly knew who to trust. Didn't even know who was fighting on what side. Part of what made the Ghosts so effective was that they masked their identities completely. They used cloaks, dissolution charms, whatever they needed. Only the Giant and his trusted generals knew the full numbers. And, to make it even more complex, the Giant's Ghosts started out as a distinctly political party-a small organization that slowly gained power until they were able to make large scale movements. In other words, a large number of the Giant's forces were still woven into the Ministry, acting as spies to convey information." He paused, considering. "What you need to understand, Hitoka, is that until the Giant was defeated in a duel, he was _winning. _Almost overwhelmingly, only a few fringe groups and Ministry Aurors even left to fight him. Everyone else hardly even know who to fight even if they did disagree."

"What happened?"

"The duel happened." Rezei blew out a breath, shaking his head like he still couldn't believe it. "And over night, the world changed. The Giant was reported dead, the Ghost leadership broke down in the chaos, and almost all of the soldiers on both sides of the war converged in the Battle of Spinner's End." He grimaced. "It was a bloodbath..._terrible, _sickening, almost unimaginable how many wizards and witches died within a single night." He paused. "I suspect you know the history after that. The Ghosts lost, the Light won, and all the remaining Aurors were tasked with gathering the remaining Ghosts and restraining them in Azkaban."

"Dad and Aunt Kirika died after that, though," Yachi said hesitantly. "That's what my mom always told me. One of the Ghosts wasn't caught by the Aurors and...and he targeted my father."

Rezei looked down. "Yes...yes, that's true. Naoki was killed after the war had already ended."

"Then...why," Yachi asked. "Why if the Ghosts had already lost was my dad even targeted?"

Rezei's lips pressed together. "Hitoka, remember….remember how I said that the war made it hard to know what side people were on? It made them suspicious. Even of family."

Yachi stared.

"Naoki…," Rezei closed his eyes, suddenly agitated. "he tried so hard to always make the right choices; but, he was _reckless. _Far, _far_ too reckless in who he decided to put his trust in. He always so much wanted to put his faith in _everyone. _Even when they didn't deserve it, could _never _deserve it." He looked up at her, shaking his head. "He made the wrong choices and it cost him his life."

Rezei stood suddenly, rubbing at his face. "And she tried to warn _him! _She tried _so hard _to make him understand, to see the risk he was taking with his future, with his family, with _you, _Hitoka! And he didn't listen! His oldest friend and he never even listened to her!"

"Who?"

"Kirika," Rezei said sharply, swearing as he did. "I swear, Hitoka, your godmother did everything she could to try to warn him what he was doing. And then...when that didn't work, she went to your mother. To her own sister-_Madoka, _the voice of reason. Always the voice of reason. And do you know what Madoka said?" He laughed painfully. "She told Kirika that Naoki was a good man, that he was making the right choices for _everyone_-even if it put them at risk. As if-as if _family, _as if his own blood shouldn't always have been his first choice."

Rezei deflated.

"Madoka made the wrong choice, just like Naoki put his faith in the wrong people-even as Kirika tried to warn them. And in the end…," He breathed out, "in the end, it cost everything. So, yes, I imagine Madoka would _blame _herself."

Yachi felt her heart beat too fast in her chest. "How am I alive? Why didn't...why didn't the Ghost kill me?"

Rezei's eyes landed on her and then...he smiled, all the bitterness melting away into a look of fond melancholy.

"Ah, Hitoka, I thought it was obvious," he said quietly. "I should have known Madoka wouldn't have told you. Kirika was _always _going to do anything to save you. _Anything. _Even if it meant her life."

Yachi's breath caught. "She saved me?"

"Of course, she did. She'd give up anything for you." Rezei sighed. "And Madoka never even bothered to tell you."

"She….," Yachi felt tears roll down her cheeks again. "She saved me; but, she was...and I'm not…"

_Worth it._

Rezei hand gripped her shoulder as if she said it anyway.

"Hitoka," Rezei met her eyes, "you have no idea what you're worth. You're so much…," he swallowed, "you're _so much _like her. Kirika, she'd be so proud to see you. To get to really meet you."

Yachi hugged him before she made the conscious decision, burying her face in his shoulder and finally letting herself sob, muffled into the fabric of his cloak.

Rezei hugged her back. "And I can promise you one thing. Kirika would never regret the choice she made that night. _Never. _Not for one second. Not when it was for _you._"

ooooooo

Look, it was remarkably hard to tell people someone actively wants you dead.

After consideration, Hinata chose to try Lev first because Lev was….well, unusually easy going about most things he shouldn't be.

Hinata decided to start casual.

"Hey," Hinata whispered to Lev in their morning study session.

"Huh, yeah?" Lev let out a pitiful sounding noise over his notes. "I _swear _some of Yaku's potion notes are like _N.E.W.T _level! Do you think he's trying to kill me?"

In retrospect, there...there were probably better segues. Hinata jumped on it anyway.

"Maybe," Hinata replied cheerfully. "Speaking of, I think someone's trying to murder me!"

Lev blinked, slowly turning up from his notes to look Hinata directly in the face.

Hinata smiled, possibly a little bit manic.

Lev frowned. "What?"

"Someone's trying to kill me," Hinata said.

Lev tilted his head, glancing down at the table then back at Hinata before the frown deepened.

Hinata waited.

Finally, Lev shrugged and gestured to Hinata's notes. "Yeah, Charms is just kind of like that, isn't it?"

And then, Lev turned back to studying Potions.

Hinata decided that was close enough.

ooooooo

Asahi poked at his half-eaten sandwich as he considered his next words.

Across from him, Daichi and Suga didn't make a single move to rush him, though Asahi was fairly skeptical about whether that was due to respect for his internal dilemma rather than they completely forgot he was there. By the fact that they kept looking at each other, giving soft smiles, before turning back to their food, Asahi thinks it's the later.

"The Tsukishima party was….a lot of fun," Suga broke the silence, smiling down at his plate rather than looking at Daichi.

Daichi grinned. "...Yeah?"

Suga looked up through his lashes. "Yeah."

"And you looked...," Daichi blushed, "I mean I thought you looked amaz-"

"SO ABOUT NOYA," Asahi started, loudly and quickly enough that both Suga and Daichi jerked their heads up, remembering suddenly that they had company.

Daichi coughed, at least having the grace to look somewhat sheepish. "What about Noya?"

All of Asahi's sudden courage died a rushed and indignant death.

"I think…," he finally mumbled, picking at the edges of his sleeves, "...I think you might've been kind of right...I think he might, I don't know….maybe like me, too? Possibly."

Suga blinked, leaning over to Daichi. "I thought they were already dating?"

"I wish," Daichi replied before focusing on Asahi. "And what _finally _made you realize that?"

Asahi gave a half-hearted shrug, resolutely _not _allowing himself to blush as he thought of stars and a bright smile and legs pressed up against his on an ill fitting window seat.

Daichi leaned back. "So when are you gonna ask him out?"

Ashai's head shot up. "What?! No way!"

Daichi groaned, head hitting the table. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me. _You _like _him_. You _know _that _he _likes _you. _What's stopping you now?!"

"You know what," Asahi snapped back before shuddering. "I'm probably just imagining it anyway. It's Noya-he's...he's just friendly. How could he….how could he like _me_?"

"What's not to like?" Suga smiled gently.

"Too much," Asahi muttered back only to have his knuckles wacked with a wand a second later. "Ow!"

"Don't be negative," Suga scolded before grinning again. "Besides, all you have to do is try."

Asahi rubbed at his hand, eyeing Suga warily. "He'll say no."

"Or he'll say _yes_," Suga responded firmly, flourishing his wand so sparks hit off the end of Asahi's nose. "And _then _what will happen?"

"I'll mess it up," Asahi answered without a doubt in his mind. "He'll….I'll….I'll disappoint him or worse and then it'll be over and he'll be mad or hurt or I don't even know and it'll all be my fault."

Suga's wand hit his head instead of his knuckles. "Negativity begone!"

"_OW!" _Asahi pouted at Daichi. "Why is your boyfriend so mean?!"

"He's perfect," Daichi said fondly. "And, currently more important, he's right."

Asahi looked at his best friend miserably. "Daichi…."

"Don't give me that look. I'm immune by now. Best try it on Suga."

They both turned to look at Suga, only to find him frowning instead at the entrance way where Oikawa had just walked in, looking as perfectly unbothered as ever.

"Hmmm," Suga said contemplatively. "Interesting."

Asahi blinked, pulled out of his self pity long enough to be confused. "What?"

"Well, I guess I better go find out," Suga said easily, bending to kiss Daichi's cheek before pointing his wand back at Asahi. "No more negativity, do you understand? I'll know and then I'll _find _you."

Asahi shivered.

"He's terrifying," Daichi agreed, absolutely adoringly.

Suga winked, giving Asahi one more look before disappearing into the mass of the Great Hall.

Daichi's eyes followed him through the crowd before finally landing resolutely back on Asahi.

Asahi sighed, going back to fiddling with his sleeves. "I can't, Daichi, you know I can't."

"He _likes _you," Daichi insisted. "Noya likes _you. _The least you could do is give it a chance."

Asahi rolled his eyes. "No. I was just projecting. Trust me, there's absolutely no way that Noya likes me back."

ooooooo

Noya sighed happily, flopping his head upside down off his bed. "I'm going to marry him one day. Watch me."

From the floor, Tanaka snorted. "Dibs on Best Man."

"Duh," Noya agreed before pausing. "Think I can get Rolling Thunder as a Ring Bearer?"

"Sure, the real surprise is gonna be the Flower Girl."

"Who's the Flower Girl?"

"Tsuki."

Noya cackled, almost falling off the bed.

"Wait, who's Noya Senpai marrying?" Nao frowned, sitting beside Tanaka.

"Asahi," Tanaka answered, digging through their trunk of Quidditch gear.

"My husband," Noya added blissfully, closing his eyes.

"Not yet." Tanaka tossed an old snitch at him.

Noya caught it without opening his eyes. "It's a long term plan."

"Might want to tell him that."

"Meh." Noya flipped over landing in a crouch beside the other two. "It's a delicate process. Don't want to spook him, you know?"

Tanaka rolled his eyes.

Noya grinned, turning to poke Nao in the chest. "The real question, young pupil of ours, is how much time we have before Ennoshita catches us?"

Dutifully and with bright eyes, Nao turned down to check the map. "We're clear. It says here he's still helping Professor Ukai in Charms."

"Excellent," Tanaka said, hands templed in front of his face like a supervillain. "No, _perfect_, our evil plan is working. Which means we should have _at least_ an hour before he thinks to look for us."

Noya bumped his shoulder against Nao. "In other words, plenty of time to get you through the working basis of Quidditch. The _cool _stuff, not just what they bother with in first year lessons."

Nao beamed.

Noya held up a finger. "But, first…"

Tanaka dropped the giant chest of Quidditch equipment into the first year's arms.

"_Someone_ needs to get this to the Quidditch field for us," Tanaka finished.

Nao huffed, lifting the heavy chest into his arms. "But-"

"Think of it like pre-training," Noya advised. "For strength."

"Or for magic if you can figure out a good enough levitation charm," Tanaka said.

Nao gave them as dry of a look as an eleven year old could manage.

"Cute," Noya pinched his cheek, "aww. Look, bro, it's just the same as Ennoshita's look. Minus the exasperation, of course."

"They grow up so fast," Tanaka said fondly. "Speaking of, hey, if we get you trained up in time, who knows, maybe we can get Kageyama and Hinata in a few weeks for a little House vs. House practice. Yeah?"

All annoyance immediately dropped off of Nao's face to be replaced by previously untold levels of excitement. "REALLY?!"

"Of course, we need to get the equipment to the field first." Tanaka signed forlornly. "Training first, you know."

That's all he had to say before Nao practically evaporated, disappearing out of the room with only the loud thump of someone running down the stairs to mark his presence.

"Huh." Noya tilted his head. "With that speed, probably wouldn't make for a bad Seeker."

"I'm still thinking Chaser." Tanaka turned back to his bed, digging under it in a search for his shoes. His fingers brushed along the edges of parchment first, hidden between mattress and headboard, and his fingers jerked away before he could help it.

"So," Noya said, far more subdued than before "any more news?"

Tanaka looked, letting his shoulders drop as he focused on making sure his shoes were laced tight rather than anything else.

"They tightened the security around their cells...for however long that's going to last." Tanaka tried to shrug. "We don't even know how they got the first letter out and the Aurors aren't even _worried_. Why would they be? Azkaban's never had a break out and we can't even prove _for sure _my parents are the ones that sent the letter."

Noya propped his head up on his hands. "You think maybe they weren't?"

"They were."

"Okay." Noya paused. "Well, then, it's all finished then? All they could do is send out one measly little letter to scare you before _boom! _The Aurors probably closed up the security leak without even knowing. Game over!"

Tanaka managed a small smile. "Yeah, maybe. I just...I don't know, I think I hate not knowing even more than I would knowing, you know? It's driving me crazy"

"Maybe that's what they wanted," Noya said quietly. "To scare you since they don't have the power to do anything else."

Tanaka took another breath, reaching under his mattress to pull out the little scrap of paper.

"Then, might as well not let them win, right?" He held up his wand to the paper, catching one last glimpse of the scrawled 'Soon' before he spoke. "_Incendio Minima."_

The paper caught fire and Tanaka dropped it down in the waste bin, watching as it finally became nothing but ash.

Noya grinned, slinging an arm around his shoulder. "Awesome work, bro!"

Tanaka snorted, grabbing his broom. "Come on, let's get to the field before Ennoshita finds out what we're up to or Nao sends a search party. Hey, think we can really get Hinata and Kageyama to play?"

"Well, it's Hinata and Kageyama plus _Quidditch_," Noya shrugged, "so, yeah, shouldn't be too hard. What else do they have going on?"

ooooooo

_Kenma, someone's trying to kill me._

Hinata shook his head. Nah, he should probably ease him into it.

_So, funny story, remember that Quidditch game where I almost died-_

No, that wouldn't work.

_Kenma, I think you were right…_

Hinata smiled. That was good.

He took a breath. "Kenma-"

"No." Kenma glared across the table. "Absolutely and completely not! Are you _insane_?!"

Kuroo shrugged. "Oikawa's trying it. If I start now, I might be able to beat him to it."

"And if Oikawa jumped off a cliff, would you-," Kenma cut off at Kuroo's smirk, "actually, don't answer that."

"I think it would be useful," Kuroo argued back and Hinata quieted to watch the back and forth almost like a Quidditch game.

"Sure," Kenma agreed dryly, "wandless magic is a perfectly fine way to get yourself blown up."

"Maybe I can try _wordless, _too," Kuroo teased.

Kenma went so far as to break his normally express face just to show what a monumentally stupid idea that would be.

Kuroo smirked. "It's okay, dear Kenma, people are often speechless at my brilliance."

"There's a reason the Ministry classifies wandless magic as an _experimental _branch."

Kuroo hummed. "Would you cry at my grave?"

"No."

"Rude, Kenma."

"You don't deserve it."

"Hmm."

Abruptly, Kuroo stopped-his eyes drawn to the entrance way. Hinata looked over to see Oikawa looking particularly concentrated. Resisting a groan, Hinata sunk down on the bench.

"To be continued." Kuroo winked at Kenma.

"No," Kenma said back, watching Kuroo make his way through the crowd.

"Merlin help reckless idiots." Kenma shook his head before turning back to Hinata. "What were you saying?"

"Nevermind," Hinata said quickly.

He'd try again later.

ooooooo

At the third loud sigh in as many minutes, Akaashi finally gave in and rolled his eyes _despite _the way it strained on his already pounding head.

"Quit pouting," Akaashi ordered, looking up from his lunch to glare across the table.

"But, it's so _boring_," Bokuto whined, turning the pages of his Arithmancy textbook listlessly in a way that made Akaashi highly doubt that he was actually reading it.

Akaashi was unsympathetic. "Next time, don't end up getting summoned to Professor Yamiji's office. Maybe then you could study something more interesting."

"Like Divination," Bokuto said wistfully.

"Or maybe Astronomy," Akaashi suggested. "Or Charms or...well, honestly, anything other than Divination."

"I just need one solid prediction, Akaashi! Just _one_!" Bokuto laid his head down on the table, teetering on the edge of a dejected mode. "I can't just give up without trying, Akaashi. Imagine how cool it would be to know _the future_."

"There's better things," Akaashi disagreed quietly.

"Like what?"

"The present."

Bokuto poked his head back up, looking considering before finally nodding. He grinned. "Aww, Akaashi, you always know what to say to make me feel better!"

Akaashi did _not _allow himself to blush. "One of my many talents."

"And anyway," Bokuto went back to poking at his Arithmancy book, "it's not _my _fault Yamiji called me to his office."

"Somehow, I don't believe you."

"It's true! He didn't even tell me _why_!" Bokuto shoved a wad of papers at him. "Look! He just wrote it on the back of my test! Crazy, right?"

Akaashi stared.

"...Did you," Akaashi couldn't believe he was about to say this, "Bokuto, you _did not _draw Quidditch plays on the back of your Arithmancy test!"

"It livens them up!"

"Yamiji's going to kill you."

Bokuto pouted. "Why does everyone keep saying that?!"

And Akaashi...he couldn't help it, he laughed so hard that he winced, holding his head at the sudden onslaught of disjointed visions.

Bokuto's smile rapidly dropped. "Is it your head again?"

"It's not too bad," Akaashi lied.

"I thought it stopped." Bokuto frowned. "You were fine all of break?"

"Which probably means it's already getting better," he reassured. "Don't worry, it'll probably be perfectly fine soon."

Akaashi really hoped _that _at least wasn't a lie.

Unfortunately, Bokuto didn't look convinced so Akaashi reached over to steal a biscuit off his plate, smiling at the surprised "Hey!" that got in response.

"Akaashi! Rude!"

Akaashi laughed again, making sure not to wince this time.

Suddenly, Bokuto stopped, eyes going to the entrance of the Great Hall almost like a magnet.

Akaashi glanced back, only to see Oikawa.

"Ah," Akaashi said. "He missed breakfast, right? Do you need to go talk to him?"

He turned back only to find Bokuto positively beaming.

"Bokuto?"

"I _know _that look!" Bokuto said, hopping up excitedly. "Akaashi, I know that look!"

"...alright?" Akaashi frowned.

Bokuto slung his bag over his arm with enough gusto to almost sling a few books out. "I'll catch up with you later, okay?" He paused, pointing at Akaashi seriously. "Go to the Hospital Wing if you're head keeps bothering you. I mean it."

"Okay," Akaashi said, momentarily too confused to even argue. "Wait, what's wrong?"

"Who knows?" Bokuto chirped far too brightly. "All I know is _we're back_!"

And then, he was off-all but racing across the Great Hall before Akaashi could even ask what he meant.

Akaashi paused, reflecting that as odd as it was Bokuto might have had a point.

Sometimes, it really was annoying not knowing what comes next.

ooooooo

Oikawa was a mature and reasonable person _despite _the few that might claim otherwise. Which is why he had come to the hard earned decision that he just might need some help.

In other words...it was time. Now, he just needed to figure out how to break the news.

And there was nothing to say Oikawa couldn't have fun by surprising them.

With this in mind, Oikawa walked into the Great Hall with his head held high, a slight bounce in his step, and his head still lost mainly in thought as he flounced down into the seat across from Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi took one look at him.

"Shit," Iwaizumi said eloquently.

Oikawa frowned. "What-"

And then, practically all at once, Suga, Kuroo, and Bokuto all dropped into the seats around them, Suga almost casually erecting a Muffilato Charm around them.

"Oh, come on," Oikawa whined, "I didn't even _say _anything yet!"

"It's the look," Suga said offhandedly.

Kuroo smirked. "It's very distinctive!"

"I don't have _a look_," Oikawa complained.

"You do." Iwaizumi paused. "It's like I can feel my blood pressure rising."

Bokuto drummed happily on the table, practically beaming. "We're back! The Investigators' Club returns! _Again!_"

Oikawa pouted.

"Aww," Kuroo teased. "Looks like someone wanted to be all dramatic!"

"I would _never_-"

Iwaizumi hit him on the back of his head. "Quit whining and tell us what it is this time."

"Oh, why don't you just read it from my _looks _since it's so easy," Oikawa huffed.

Suga rolled his eyes with a grin. "No, never dramatic. Not you."

"Hurry up!" Bokuto leaned forward with puppy dog eyes that really should have been ridiculous. "Come on, tell us! I've been waiting all year for this!"

"Because a time turner wasn't enough," Kuroo said dryly.

Bokuto made a pleading noise.

"Fine, fine," Oikawa waved a hand through the air dismissively. "Take all the fun of it, why don't you? Since you must know, someone's trying to kill Hinata."

The table stopped and, because Oikawa never claimed to be perfect, he did take some joy in the surprise.

"Bet you didn't see that one coming," he said just as Iwaizumi hit him again. "Ow!"

"Who," Iwaizumi asked.

"That's question one," Oikawa said, finally fading back into a seriousness as he dug into his bag. "Three attempts, starting with the broken stair."

Kuroo leaned forward. "It takes some serious work to alter charms set into the castle stone. That's someone with a lot of magic at their disposal. An upperclassman?"

"Not necessarily," Suga disagreed quietly. "The charms in the castle are intricate but fairly basic. It wouldn't take a lot of _power _to break them, it takes skill." He sighed, looking up at Oikawa. "Especially if we're assuming someone specifically removed a single step from the overall charm matrix _and _set up a detection spell so it would only break under Hinata."

Oikawa nodded. "We're not looking for someone powerful, we're looking for someone smart."

"And dedicated," Iwaizumi added. "The stair took planning, research. Not someone with just a small grudge."

"Three attempts," Kuroo repeated. "Guessing the exploding broom's second, then?"

"Third, actually."

Oikawa turned to Suga, who's eyes widened before he grimaced.

"The potion kit," Suga said before explaining to the others. "Someone swapped out Hinata's holly leaves for mistletoe. I caught it right before he added it to a Babbling Potion."

Bokuto swore. "That's deadly."

"But generally confined to the one standing in front of the potion." Kuroo narrowed his eyes. "They're being careful for bystanders."

"And they have access to Hinata's things," Oikawa said. "Which should point to a student, probably in Hufflepuff, except…"

He gestured and they all turned to see Hinata, chatting animatedly to Kenma over lunch. Under the bench, his bag was tipped over to the side, almost spilling out.

"It's Hinata," Iwaizumi finished flatly. "Which means _anyone _could have gotten hold of it."

"Anyone _in the school_," Suga corrected.

"Who would want to kill Hinata," Bokuto asked, sounding particularly wounded. "I mean….it's _Hinata. _He's like...well, you know, most of the times, he's-"

"Like a cartoon chipmunk was suddenly combined with the sun and transformed into a wizard," Kuroo suggested.

Bokuto snapped. "Yeah, exactly!"

Unbidden, Oikawa thought back to Hinata's words.

"_It's not like I'm famous or anything. I'm just a normal third year."_

"I don't know," he admitted. He sat the glowing vial down with a thunk. "But, someone's trying hard. A piece of his broom from after the game. I tested it. They used a potion to take off the charm against ice."

They looked at the vial in silence.

Kuroo was the one to break it. "They made it look like accidents. _Every time. _The stair, the potion, the broom. They don't just want Hinata dead, they don't want anyone to look twice. They don't want anyone to suspect murder."

"They're not going to stop," Suga said. "Not after three attempts. Whoever it is, they're committed."

Bokuto looked at Oikawa. "Have you told Hinata yet?"

"This morning," Oikawa confirmed. "He's telling his friends himself."

He _better _be.

"He needs some kind of protection," Iwaizumi said firmly. "Bodyguards or some kind of shifts to make sure he's not alone. Something that we need more than just us five to do."

Ah, and finally, it looks like Oikawa could have his moment of surprise after all.

"Actually, I have a plan for that. I was thinking something…._bigger._" Oikawa smirked as all eyes turned to him. "Suga, would you mind talking to your boyfriend? I think we could use some help."

ooooooo

Objectively, Hinata realized this was probably his best chance with Kageyama, Yachi, and even Kenma all gathered around for homework in the Hufflepuff common room.

Objectively, he realized that Oikawa-while prone to dramatics-was rarely actually _wrong _and that if he said someone was trying to kill Hinata then someone probably was.

Objectively, he realized that when one is the object of murderous intent it is generally in one's best interest to let people know. Especially friends. Especially and specifically friends that were around him almost constantly.

So, yes, objectively, Hinata thought he was being fairly smart and reasonable.

Subjectively, Hinata would rather face his would be murderer then tell his friends.

He cleared his throat. "So-"

"Hush, I'm studying," Kageyama said immediately. "Like _you_ should be."

Yachi laughed, hitting Kageyama's arm before smiling at Hinata, looking brighter than Hinata could remember her looking in months.

He _really _didn't want to ruin that.

"What is it, Hinata," Yachi asked.

You know there was always the chance that _this _time was the time Oikawa was wrong. And, really, didn't it make sense to find out more information before actually telling anyone? Maybe it was still just a crazy misunderstanding. Or an act of fate? Yes, maybe, Hinata's life was just ridiculously cursed in ways that defied laws and magic. And it wouldn't actually help to tell anyone about that, right? Exactly. Because there was nothing they could do. They'd just feel sad and his friends feeling sad was bad. So, the logical and most sensible conclusion was...Hinata should just not tell them.

At least not until he knew more about what was going on.

There. Perfect plan. He could explain that to Oikawa later.

"It's nothing, you just look really happy today." He said to Yachi.

Yachi smiled softly. "I think...I think I heard something I needed to hear."

"Good," Hinata said and meant it.

No way would he ruin this.

"That…," Kenma tugged at Kageyama's book, only to reveal a Quidditch magazine, "is not your Transfiguration homework."

Hinata sputtered in outrage. "AND YOU WERE YELLING AT ME FOR NOT STUDYING!"

"You should be studying," Kageyama immediately argued.

"So should you!"

"And I wasn't yelling!"

Hinata glared. "Were so!"

Kageyama hit the back of his head. "Quit being loud in the common room!"

"You started it," Hinata muttered mutinously.

"Did not."

"Did so!"

Yachi's laugh split between them, quieting them just long enough for her hand to slip out and grab the Quidditch magazine. "We should _all _be studying. It's the first week back!"

Kageyama and Hinata took one final second to glare at each other just for good measure.

"Sorry, Yachi," Hinata finally said.

Kageyama grunted. But, it was an apologetic grunt so that was fine.

Kenma shook his head, leaning over to Yachi. "I don't know how you do that."

"Long practice," Yachi said.

Kageyama shrugged, turning down to his actual Transfiguration book. "Still say _he _started it."

Hinata stuck his tongue out.

"That only works partially," Yachi admitted.

"Because Kageyama's an ass." Hinata smirked.

"_You're _an ass," Kageyama grumbled in return. "Now, shut up so we can study."

Hinata rolled his eyes with a huff. "And _I'm _the one someone's trying to kill."

In the abruptly cold silence, Hinata glanced up only to find three faces staring at him in shock.

_Oops..._

"WHAT?!"

ooooooo

A/N: A few things this time since it's been a bit. First, the current arc in the manga?! Season 4 today?! Tis a good time to be a Haikyuu fan!

Second, sorry, it's been awhile since my last update. Since I like to give you guys at lest the reason why. I'm in my first year of phd and first semester hit me harder than I thought.

Third, so I don't leave you guys hanging again on no word of when the next update is going to be, I'm bringing back the date I'll update that I used to post for the first book of this series. I'll update this date if there's any delays so you can at least know when the next update would be.

Last, I can't say this enough, THANK YOU to everyone for all your support! I love seeing every comment, bookmark, kudos, subscribe, etc. and you guys are always the best.

Next Chapter: Meeting of the Minds  
Post Date: January 26, 2020


	14. Meeting of the Minds

"Order! Order!" Oikawa banged on the desk, looking far, _far_ too pleased with himself. "The first meeting of the Keep Hinata Alive To Graduation Society has officially begun! Thank you all for coming!"

Hinata groaned, burying his face in his hands.

Yamaguchi offered him a comforting smile. "Don't worry, Hinata."

"I'm no worried!" Hinata gave the room one last piteous look. "Do we _have _to do this? It's probably not that bad!"

The entire room-literally the _entire_ room; Oikawa, Iwaizumi, Kuroo, Suga, Bokuto, Kenma, Yachi, Kageyama, Yamaguchi, Tsukishima, Daichi, Asahi, Ennoshita, Noya, Tanaka, and even _Lev_-all collectively decided to ignore him.

Hinata groaned _louder._

Oikawa beamed. "Moving on-"

"Excuse me," Tsukishima interrupted dryly, "how do we even know someone's trying to kill him?"

Hinata sighed in relief. "Exac-"

"Don't get me wrong," Tsukishima continued, "I'm sure many, _many _people would love to kill him. Merlin, there's probably even be a line by now."

Hinata frowned. "Um."

Tsukishima shrugged. "Me, included. And I'm sure there's a multitude of reasons, starting with general annoyance and ending with abject hatred of his very being. And that's not even going into the fact that he's a morning person or his habit of-"

"Okay, you can stop helping me now!"

"So, how do we _really_ know someone's trying to kill him this time," Tsukishima finished, shooting a smug look at Hinata.

Hinata glared back.

Oikawa nodded, smiling brightly. "An excellent point, Tsukishima!"

"Was it, though," Lev muttered to Kageyama, who shrugged.

"Which brings us to our first order of business!" Oikawa waved his wand at the chalkboard. "_Videtur!"_

'The Evidence' appeared, written in chalk across the board.

"Who put Oikawa in charge of the meeting," Ennoshita leaned over to whisper to Daichi.

Daichi laughed. "Do _you _want to stop him?"

Oikawa ignored them pointedly. "The Evidence! Kuroo, my dear friend, if you could start us off."

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes as Kuroo stepped forward, all but bowing to the assembled group.

And then, Kuroo cleared his throat, grin falling off and setting his shoulders as he walked to the board. "Right, so, the first evidence is the broken stair."

"I thought that was an accident," Asahi asked cautiously.

"Nearly impossible," Kuroo answered, writing 'stair/charms' on the board. " I spent most of yesterday in the library reading up on the charms that are used to hold up the staircases. They're old enough to date back to the founding of _Hogwarts. _The chances that they break _now_ and under Hinata when they've never even cracked before are slim."

Iwaizumi nodded. "I finished checking the charm matrix on the rest of the stairs last night. Except the one that broke, every other stair in the entire bloody castle is still hooked up just fine to the matrix."

Yachi frowned. "Matrix?"

"Yep," Kuroo took back over. "The stairs matrix was designed by Ravenclaw herself. Just simple stuff, really. A moving charm, a few detection ones, stability and protection, some more for self-cleaning, and-of course-like a chunk of them for durability. Like I said, simple stuff. The _real _beauty of it is someone was smart enough to figure out how to separate one step from the matrix, work out how to take out the durability, _and _add in a completely different detection charm to catch Hinata."

"We're looking for someone dedicated and smart," Oikawa said seriously. "Plus, someone _committed _to making it all look like accidents."

Hinata shivered, Kageyama's hand gripping his shoulder just a second before Yachi's. He smiled up at both of them.

Oikawa turned. "Suga, you're up. Find anything new?"

"Not particularly." Suga addressed the group. "Last semester, someone swapped out Hinata's holly leaves for mistletoe before he was supposed to use it in a Babbling Potion." He winced. "Obviously, the results are deadly but close range so we think whoever's behind this is only targeting Hinata. Other than that, we know it's someone in the school that apparently knows enough about potions, knows the third year Potions syllabus, and had access to Hinata's potion kit at some point."

"That's not much to go on," Ennoshita pointed out. "Professor Irihata hasn't changed his syllabus in generations. Anyone third year and up would've known they had Babbling Potion coming up. That says hardly anything about who's actually behind it."

"On the contrary." Tsukishima hummed.

Yamaguchi perked up. "You have something."

"I'd rather wait." Tsukishima nodded to Oikawa. "Go on, what's next."

Oikawa gestured to Bokuto.

"Okay, so, next's the exploding broom." Bokuto pulled out the vial with the splinter. "Oikawa tested it; someone used a potion to take off the charm against ice. That's another point towards potion and charm knowledge, I guess, but not _that _much since a lot of Quidditch shops sell stripping and refinishing potions for old broom models. I've just never heard of anyone doing something so terrible to a brand new _Nimbus 500_!"

Noya and Lev both made abjectly pained noises.

Bokuto nodded sadly, looking at the martyred broom shard. "Poor broom barely got to live a life." He cleared his throat. "And, of course, bad for Hinata, too!"

Kenma rolled his eyes hard

"Anyway," Bokuto continued. "Before all the Quidditch games, Professor Oiwake keeps the game brooms locked away overnight to check them in the morning for cheating spells." He gestured to Kageyama and Hinata. "The night before all the Hufflepuff team was practicing and the weather was already _pretty bad_ then so no way we wouldn't have noticed if Hinata's broom started cracking. Which means whoever did it probably waited until after Oiwake locked it away."

"How hard is the lock to break," Yachi asked.

Bokuto shrugged. "Not too bad. I checked it out last night. Probably a bit more advanced than an Alohomora." He paused. "For Quidditch, the real part's checking for cheating spells in the morning."

"...so, someone on the Quidditch team," Yamaguchi asked. "Maybe one of the older students? Someone who knew where the brooms were stored?"

Hinata beamed proudly up at Oikawa. "Ha! I _said _it was because of Quidditch!"

Oikawa rolled his eyes. "Not necessarily, all it would take is basic familiarity or observation skills to find out where the brooms are stored. But, yes, it _might _be someone in Quidditch." He gestured to the board. "Which brings us to the second question."

He muttered the spell and 'Culprits' appeared in a column next to Evidence.

"The Slytherin Quidditch Team," Tanaka, Noya, Kageyama, and Ennoshita all said at once.

Suga and Oikawa exchanged a look before Oikawa snorted.

"It's definitely not the Slytherin Quidditch Team," Oikawa dismissed, almost lazily. Suga frowned but nodded, surprisingly joined by Tsukishima.

"How can you possibly know that," Ennoshita demanded.

"Because it's nothing near their style." Oikawa rolled his eyes, smiling in that particular sharp way of his. "Trust me if the Slytherin team had finally stepped up to murder, I'd be _much _further up the list than Hinata."

Iwaizumi glared at him. "How is that _at all _reassuring?!"

Oikawa pointed to Suga.

"If it was a group as big as the Slytherin Team or….even just one member actually, they'd have bragged about it by now." Suga's lips pressed together. "They...tend to take our House's 'pride' and 'ambition' to the absolute worst extreme. If they said something, even just a pointed comment like they normally do, Oikawa or I would have heard about it by now….At the very least, Matsukawa or Hanamaki would've mentioned it."

Yachi and Kenma both looked at Lev, who winced. "Yeah, no, they're probably right. The team's, um, kinda _loud _once they're back in the common room."

"Assholes," Tanaka muttered.

Oikawa turned back to the board. "So, we've got someone at least moderately skilled at Charms and Potions, dedicated, highly intelligent, with access to the Hinata's potion kit, probably third year or above if they're aware of Professor Irihata's syllabus, and with at least _some _knowledge of Quidditch. Plus, with a level of interest in making all the attempts appear like accidents and avoid getting anyone else hurt."

Tsukishima hummed again, smirking smugly. "You're missing something, of course"

Kageyama leaned over to Hinata. "Why does he always _have _to say things in ways that make me want to punch him?"

"Talent," Tsukishima said succinctly. "Now, on to more important things."

He took the chalk from Oikawa, going to the board.

"Not even counting the broom, that's two previous attempts with a nearly insane amount of premeditation either to just target one step or to avoid bystanders in a Potion explosion." Tsukishima raised an eyebrow. "The Slytherin team's made up of a bunch of trust fund brats that haven't seen passed 'ambition' to basic planning skills and things beyond instant gratification."

Tsukishima narrowed his eyes, looking at the board. "It's not them. It's not anyone _like _them. Whoever it is doesn't mind taking time between attempts. They're not rushing, they're not being sloppy." Finally, he frowned. "Whoever's behind this is acting on more than just a crime of passion or blind hate. There's a _reason _they're after Hinata. Something….honestly, it almost seems impersonal."

There was a moment of silence.

"...what do you mean 'impersonal'," Asahi asked. "I...I mean it's murder, right?"

Tsukishima shrugged, still facing the board. "It's like I said, how do we know someone's trying to kill him? Sure, we have the evidence; that's part of it. But, there's no _why_." He rolled his eyes. "General disposition aside, the idiot's only been here three years, he's hardly had time to inspire this big of a grudge. Especially not without any of us even able to guess at a culprit." He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Oikawa's right if it was about being a muggleborn, Hinata wouldn't be the first target, definitely not the _only _target. So, it's not that. Other than being a disaster magnet, the only real hobby Hinata has is Quidditch and we've already established it's not them. Pretty much everyone else he's around frequently is in this room and it's not us. So…."

He finally turned back from the board, facing the group. "So, it means that either somehow, someway Hinata's gotten a highly motivated and dedicated enemy that we aren't even aware he's interacted with or….it's not about Hinata, at all. Killing him's just part of a larger goal."

There was a long pause finally broken by Hinata letting out an attempt at a laugh.

"Um," Hinata spoke up, "if it helps, neither of those options makes me feel particularly better."

Tsukishima huffed, bored expression falling back into place as he tossed the chalk back to Oikawa. Tsukishima rolled his eyes as he went. "You don't get an opinion."

Hinata let out an indignant sound halfway between a yell and a squawk while Yachi patted his back sympathetically.

"I've got it." Bokuto stroked his chin, nodding sagely. "I've got a prediction."

Kuroo, Suga, Oikawa, and Iwaizumi all tensed.

Bokuto looked at the room seriously. "It's…._Professor Takeda_!"

At least three people gasped before Kuroo face-palmed, stepping in and literally dragging Bokuto to the side. "Nope, no, that's it, we're _banning _you from predictions for the entire meeting." He bowed to the rest of the group. "Forgive him, it is definitely _not _Professor Takeda."

"No, hear me out," Bokuto shouted from the headlock. "Takeda's like the nicest, most perfect person ever! That's why no one would suspect him! No one!"

"Yeah," Iwaizumi said dryly, "that's generally what happens when you're innocent."

"So, what do we do," Asahi asked, fidgeting nervously with the ends of his sleeves as all eyes turned to him. "I mean...if we don't know who it is and we don't know why they're after Hinata, then what's next?"

"We make sure it doesn't happen," Daichi said firmly. "That's why you asked us all here, right? You need our help."

Suga smiled back at him as Oikawa just nodded.

"Among other reasons, yes," Oikawa agreed. "We know whoever's after Hinata is both avoiding bystanders _and _wants it to look like an accident, that means we need someone around Hinata at all times, preferably multiple someones so one person can focus on protection while the others observe the surroundings."

Yamaguchi cocked his head. "You think whoever it is stays around the scene?"

"Nah." Kuroo shrugged. "If they were, they wouldn't have chosen a bloody _blizzard _to blow up Hinata's broom. Plus, all the other methods-mistletoe leaves, a detection charm on the stairs-all things they didn't need to be around to see work. I doubt they were even _close._"

"But it doesn't hurt to see if there's anyone _unusual _around Hinata," Suga said. "Anyone out of place."

Oikawa grinned. "And that's why we're here. Other than Hinata, we've got five first years in three Houses. That puts at least three people with him for every class except Herbology and Charms, where _hopefully _at least the professors can try to keep Hinata alive even though Herbology is a terrible, awful subject that I'm fairly positive was designed to murder people."

Iwaizumi snorted. "Which is another way of saying you can't grow a-"

"Yes, yes, well, we can't all be freaks of nature, Iwa-chan." Oikawa waved him off. "The main problem is outside of classes."

"I have Hinata's Potion's tutoring, of course," Suga said. "But, I wouldn't mind a-"

"I'll do it," Daichi called out.

"What a shock," Kuroo drawled before scrawling both of their names on the board next to Potions tutoring.

Bokuto swung an arm around a frowning Kageyama. "And Kageyama and I've got Quidditch practice; _but, _probably could use a few extra guys just to make sure."

"Ooh, me!" Lev immediately raised his hand.

Kenma sighed. "And me so one of us is at least paying attention to something besides Quidditch."

"Awesome and neither of you are Gryffindors!" Bokuto winked at Noya, Tanaka, and Daichi. "No offense, guys, just the team would kill us if we had you watching practice this close to the game."

Tsukishima rolled his eyes. "Yes, because far be it attempted murder comes before Quidditch."

"Moving on, that leaves the rest of us for setting up a schedule for between classes and meals," Oikawa said, gesturing to the rest of the group.

"Wait." Kageyama's frown pulled down even further. "I'm confused."

"Unsurprising," Oikawa muttered, just loud enough for Iwaizumi to hear and hit him.

"Why don't we just use the Invisibility Cloak," Kageyama asked. "You know, like last year?"

"...oh, right," Yachi said quietly.

"I forgot about that!" Hinata grinned, completely oblivious to how practically the entire rest of the room was now staring at them.

Tsukishima was the first to speak. "...you..._you…_"

"Seriously," Kuroo asked. "You have-"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVE AN INVISIBILITY CLOAK?!" Oikawa shouted.

Hinata cocked his head. "What?"

"You have an _invisibility cloak," _Oikawa ground out. "And you didn't think to mention it until now? Not say when I _first _told you. Or _last year. _Or, hey, maybe the year before that when you were attacked by a bloody professor!"

"Yeah," Hinata said logically, "it didn't really come up."

"I'm going to _murder_ you!" Oikawa pointed to the board. "Iwa-chan, add me to the suspect list!"

"No," Iwaizumi said dryly. "You're not a suspect."

"Oh, I _will _be!" Oikawa glared at Hinata.

"To be fair," Yachi said quietly. "We didn't have the cloak until after everything first year."

"And we _did _have him use it last year," Kageyama added obstinately.

"Okay, new rule," Oikawa said in exasperation. "New, very important rule! If anyone else has a magical, nigh mythical object that would be _exceedingly _helpful in avoiding murder, please inform the group now."

"Huh," Noya looked at Tanaka, "I mean I guess there's the map, yeah?"

Oikawa's eye twitched.

Tanaka shrugged. "Yeah, but everyone already knows about that, right? From fighting the basilisk?"

"FIGHTING THE _WHAT?!" _Lev shouted, only to be hit with a Silencing charm a moment later.

Kenma pulled him off to the side. "We'll explain later."

Oikawa moaned, burying his head in his hands as Bokuto patted his back semi-comfortingly.

"I give up," Oikawa said, looking up at the ceiling like a dying man. "Well, have at it, anyone else up to anything spectacularly dangerous lately?"

"We're saving the boggarts," Noya declared cheerfully.

Iwaizumi frowned. "What? Like on purpose?"

"Unfortunately," Tsukishima sighed.

"Why," Ennoshita asked suspiciously, "what have _you guys _been doing?"

Suga winced. "Um...we'll tell you when we're legally able."

That definitely drew some suspicious looks.

"Plus, discovering an attempted murder plot," Oikawa added lightly.

"And making awesome predictions," Bokuto finished.

"Eh," Kuroo smirked, "well, two out of three isn't bad."

Bokuto pouted.

Yachi coughed lightly, drawing the attention of the room as she shifted on her feet to try and address them.

"So, do you think…," she began quietly, "between the Invisibility Cloak and...and the guard schedule, do you think we can keep Hinata safe?"

Bokuto's pout melted away, mouth turning up into a warm grin. "_Absolutely. _No prediction necessary, the Investigators' Club hasn't failed yet. No worries."

"Yeah," Tanaka said, slinging an arm around Bokuto's shoulders, "and plus you've got _The_ _Crows _working on it, too! And we're great at sneaking through stuff without getting caught!"

Asahi sighed. "That really isn't the part to brag about."

"Anyway," Suga said softly, "with all of us, I believe we can make sure Hinata is safe and figure out the person behind this. We do...have a rather good track record for this."

Yachi smiled back, looking relieved.

Meanwhile, Hinata, the potential murder victim in question, leaned over to whisper to Kageyama. "Do we need a group name? Everyone else has a cool one?"

Kenma sighed from in between them. "No, names are pretentious. Trust me."

"Rude, Kenma." Kuroo grinned.

Ennoshita raised his hand. "Next meeting, can we also opt for a better meeting place than a cramped classroom?"

"We could always set up expansion charms," Suga suggested.

Tsukishima's eyes lit up. "_You know expansion charms?!"_

"Um, yes?"

"Not the point, Tsuki," Noya said, all but jumping in between the two before Tsukishima could pounce on Suga. "Ennoshita makes a good point! We need a _cool _meeting place! Something subtle yet awesome! Powerful yet mysterious! Something so epic no would would ever think to mess with it!"

"How about the Shrieking Shack," Oikawa suggested.

Noya frowned. "Um-"

"How about _no_," Iwaizumi crossed his arms. "Actually, how about _absolutely not _and _don't even think about it. _Only an idiot would go in there."

Oikawa hummed, blinking up innocently. "Scared, Iwa-chan?"

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. "No, I just have somehow miraculously come to the conclusion that a dilapidated, decrepit old shack is possibly _not _the best place to fit in seventeen people." He flicked Oikawa's forehead before he could argue. "We're trying to keep Hinata _alive, _remember? Not have him die because he fell through some rotted floorboards."

Asahi shivered. "Plus, um..._plus, _isn't the Shrieking Shack supposed to be haunted?"

"Asahi," Ennoshita shook his head, "we go to a school with _ghosts_. How can you be scared something's haunted?"

"It's creepy," Asahi said defensively, scooting closer to Daichi.

"So, that's a definite no," Noya piped in, smiling up at Asahi. "Someplace _other _than the Shrieking Shack. Huh, you know, I guess this classroom might kind of work. If we made it just a little bit more awesome. Right?"

"Definitely," Tanaka agreed, high-fiving Noya.

Oikawa huffed, turning back to the group.

"Then, we're agreed," Oikawa said. "We keep to the schedule, watch for anything suspicious, and try to meet again let's say the next Hogsmeade weekend. And until then," Oikawa narrowed his eyes at Hinata. "_You're _going to be the most protected person on the face of the planet! _Or else!_"

ooooooo

"And nothing….and nothing…..and _still _nothing," Tanaka reported before flopping back on his bed. "For some reason, I thought this would be more interesting."

Ennoshita rolled his eyes. "It's _night_, Hinata's already back in his dorm room with both Bokuto and Kageyama there. What did you expect to happen?"

"I don't know!" Tanaka shrugged. "Oikawa told me and Noya to check the map for anything 'unusual or suspicious' around Hinata! I thought it would be more exciting! I'm not even sure what to look for here?!"

"Yes, somehow I doubt a student named 'would-be-assassin' will randomly pop up in the middle of the night," Tsukishima said dryly.

Yamaguchi sighed. "Poor Hinata. I can't imagine how it would feel if someone wanted to kill _me. _He has to be terrified."

"I wouldn't worry too much," Tsukishima drawled. "Idiots have more luck than average people."

Yamaguchi glared. "Tsuki…."

"What? We've already raised a veritable army around him! He'll be fine," Tsukishima said back stubbornly. "Might as well worry about something else."

"Like the boggarts," Noya suggested cheerfully.

Tsukishima groaned. "...or preferably anything else."

Noya pouted. "Aww, come on, guys, we've only got about two months before the Ministry committee gets here! That's _two months _left to come up with an absolutely perfect defense on why the boggarts should be allowed to live!"

"Even though a committee has literally never sided in their favor before." Ennoshita sighed. "Alright, let's get to work. Noya, what should we expect for the committee!"

Noya immediately brightened. "See, the committee's at least there's some good news! So, right, since boggarts are _technically _defined as magical beings rather than magical creatures-"

"Why," Yamaguchi asked curiously.

Noya huffed. "Because the Ministry is _stupid _and if they gave boggarts 'creature' status, they'd have to give it to 'dementors', too. And that would mean they wouldn't be able to use dementors as Azkaban guards because they'd fall under the basic creature protection guidelines which prohibits the long term use of creatures in long term employment roles without detailed supervision or status as magic familiars. So, basically, the Ministry's covering their own as- "

"He's _never _this interested in school," Daichi moaned to himself. "Why is he _never _this interested in school?"

Asahi coughed quietly. "Noya, the committee..."

"Right!" Noya snapped. "So, other than receiving the original request and being in charge of the banishment if we lose, the Department of Magical Creatures don't have much control over the case!"

"And that's good for us how," Tsukishima asked.

"Because they don't know as much about magical creature law," Tanaka answered for him. "It's a blank slate, basically. We don't have to convince the experts, we've just gotta convince whoever the Ministry had time to send."

"And who did they have time to send," Ennoshita questioned.

"Well," Noya winced. "Okay, so, um, it's a bit of a weird group but…."

The room waited.

"Ah, it's the Head of the Being Division so that makes sense and then...the Ministry Attorney General, Three Unspeakables, the Speaker of the Wizamagot, and….um, the Deputy Minister."

The room stared.

"THAT'S HALF OF OUR BLOODY GOVERNMENT," Tsukishima shouted.

"Not half," Noya soothed. "Not even near half, really, just-"

"Just half the important ones," Tsukishima finished. "How? No, more important, _why? _What possible reason could they all have for hearing a case on _boggarts!?_"

Noya rubbed the back of his neck. "I told you they were already coming!"

"Why!" Tsukishima yelled again.

Ennoshita hummed. "What do you bet this is Suga's group's fault?"

"I'd put money on it," Daichi said as Asahi squeaked out a laugh.

"But," Noya rallied, "think about it like this, if we can convince _them, _that's basically convincing the entire Ministry, right? It's a precedent for boggarts everywhere!"

Tsukishima's head hit against the wall. "No, I was wrong. Let's go back to worrying about Hinata."

ooooooo

_Son,_

_As always, I hope this letter finds you in good health and sound mind. As we are two months out from what I hope to be your great introduction to politics, I am sure you can find time in your next Hogsmeade weekend to meet and discuss strategy._

_I would prefer if you extend a later invitation to your friends for a tea as well since our last meeting was cut so dreadfully short. Remember, son, as a part of the Kuroo name, it is our duty above all others to foster competitive relationships and-_

"What are you doing," Kenma interrupted him.

"Just fueling the fire," Kuroo announced cheerfully, continuing to rip the letter into tiny, minuscule fragments that would do just perfectly to litter the Ravenclaw fireplace. "It's technically still winter, you know, can't have the fire dying in the middle of the night."

Kenma raised an eyebrow. "It's a self-maintaing fire."

"Is it really?" Kuroo shook his head in mock amazement, throwing the last of the pieces like confetti and watching them burst into flame. "Well, I'll be, the things they think of these days! Magical, really."

Kenma rolled his eyes. "You know one of these days it's actually going to be something important."

"Kenma," he said seriously, "I truly do not believe my father has uttered something _actually _important in my entire life."

Kenma's lips pressed together and his hair did that little shimmer that Kuroo knew always meant he was biting back a laugh.

Kuroo grinned at him.

"Are you at least going to tell the rest of your friends," Kenma asked, sitting down in the armchair next to the fire.

"Tell them? Sure, of course, I will." Kuroo perched on the armrest of Kenma's chair. "Pity, though. I don't think they'll be able to make it. I'll be sure to break the news to Dad."

"He's not going to be happy about that," Kenma said in a way that didn't at all discourage the idea.

"Why no, I don't think he will be." Kuroo leaned in a bit closer. "Here's the thing, though. I'm starting to think the absolute best choices in life are the things my father has absolutely no control over. Maybe I should make more of those."

Kenma looked up and met his eyes, smiling in that quiet way that made Kuroo's heart beat faster.

"Maybe you should," Kenma agreed.

"Maybe I will."

Kuroo was grinning widely now even as Kenma blushed and finally looked back to his book, completely ignoring any of Kuroo's further attempts to distract him.

Kuroo didn't care much, though. Somehow, watching the fire burn away at the last memories of his father's letter and his heart still beating faster in his chest, Kuroo felt strangely invincible.

Possibly for the first time in his entire life.

ooooooo

Her mother was coming.

Yachi looked down at the note in her hands. A simple thing really, just a brief notice from her mother that she'd be at Hogwarts in roughly two weeks time working on some official Ministry business.

Her mother was coming.

Yachi knew she had an interesting relationship with her mother. For most of her life, Yachi would define it as a mixture of admiration and envy and hero worship and a cold abject terror that Yachi _knew _she couldn't live up to her.

Her mother loved her. Yachi knew that.

But just because you loved someone didn't mean you could relate to them. It didn't mean you truly knew them. Yachi had found that out the hard way.

Her mother lied to her. Yachi knew that, too.

Her mother hid from her.

Her mother kept secrets from her.

Her mother couldn't even tell her how her father died and her aunt had saved her.

Her mother…

Yachi had spent a ridiculous amount of her life caught in worry and fear. She was self aware enough to know that she'd always be somewhat anxious.

But, Yachi wasn't scared of facing her mother anymore.

She couldn't be. Not with a father that tired to do the right thing and died by the wrong choices. Not with a godmother who loved her enough to sacrifice her own life.

Yachi was done being scared of the truth.

She turned back to her mother's letter, flipped it over and wrote one in return.

_Dear Mom,_

_I know what happened to Dad and Aunt Kirika. We need to talk._

_Hitoka_

_ooooooo_

A/N: Thanks for reading and for your support!

Next Chapter: The Quidditch Semi-Finals

Post Date: February 9th/ 10th


	15. The Quidditch Semi-Final

Hinata hated this so much.

A _week _and he was barely alone long enough to go to the bathroom!

Don't get him wrong, he loved his friends-_really-_but he felt like he was going to go insane if everyone didn't quit worrying over him.

Luckily, he had a plan.

_Un_-luckily, it was a secret plan-a _super _practically perfect plan that unfortunately the rest of them absolutely could not know about! Which meant said plan was nearly impossible to carry out.

"And see, if you hold your knife a bit to the side," Suga said softly, angling his knife just so to show Hinata, "it makes it so much easier to slice thinly into the Doxy spleen which is just great for getting it to absorb into the potion faster."

Hinata dutifully took notes while beside him, Daichi gazed at his boyfriend adoringly-which was impressive considering Suga was still slicing up the spleen.

Suga blushed. "It makes a really great tonic for pixie bites, too."

"And gnomes," Daichi added. "Different recipe, though."

"Really," Suga asked, looking up from under his lashes, and Hinata had to wonder for at least the twelfth time this lesson if conversations like this could actually count as flirting.

"Definitely," Daichi didn't look away, "Mom always keeps some on hand for gardening."

"You'll have to show me the recipe sometime. I'd love to try it. "

"I can do that. I'm sure you'll get it no time, though, what with how good Nekomata says you are at Healing."

Suga tucked a piece of hair behind his ear. "Flatterer, I'm not that good."

"That's not what Asahi says." Daichi grinned.

He laughed. "Actually, Asahi's far better at it than me. Not that he believes me."

"Maybe, but I bet you're a lot prettier to watch." Daichi winked and Suga blushed again, smiling widely.

Hinata shook his head, packing up the last of his things.

He was starting to think he should never fall in love. It made everyone too weird and frankly, Hinata wasn't sure why.

Suga cleared his throat, turning back to Hinata. "So, that should be all you need for Irihata's next test. Don't forget to go over the stirring rotations for the Shrinking Potion, alright?"

"Got it," Hinata said, giving him a thumbs up.

Daichi ruffled his hair. "And don't let Irihata trip you up with that trick question he has on Doxycide, okay? That's how he got me."

Suga hid a smile as the three walked to the door. "Not still bitter, are you?"

"Eternally," Daichi teased. "I take it you got a perfect score?"

"Near perfect," Suga admitted lightly.

"Of course," Daichi said and there was another of those heavier-than-they-really-needed-to-be looks between the two while Hinata waited in boredom, glancing down the hall.

Hmm, there was a shot…

Daichi and Suga still looked fairly lost in whatever moment so Hinata took his chance. He cleared his throat. "Well, I guess I'll just go and-"

He barely made it a step before the pair moved and two separate hands snapped out to grab each of his shoulders.

Daichi raised an eyebrow. "And just where do you think you're heading _alone_?"

Hinata made a pained noise. "Oh, come on, the Great Hall's barely two minutes away!"

"Then , it won't be any trouble for us to walk you," Suga finished sweetly.

Hinata's shoulders slumped.

"You have the Invisibility Cloak, right," Suga fussed over him and Hinata dully held up the cloak for Suga's inspection.

"Good." Suga nodded. "Keep it on until we get to the Hall, alright? I'll cast a Notice Me Not Charm on you."

Hinata thought about making another argument but one quelling look from Daichi and the words died on his tongue.

He gave up. He wouldn't be alone for a single second until he died of old age.

Somehow, despite what he said, Hinata felt _absolutely sure _Oikawa would not have behaved the same had their situations been reversed.

Resigned, he slumped along between Suga and Daichi-a dejected, invisible mass-and thought that at least the Quidditch game was that weekend.

Suga and Daichi walked him straight to the Great Hall before pointing him in the direction of Yachi and Kageyama's table.

Suga leaned next to him. "The Notice Me Not Charm should make sure no one sees you pull off the cloak; but, be careful, alright?"

Hinata nodded before remembering they couldn't see him and adding on a "Will do."

"Stay safe," Daichi warned before _finally _the two left him to find their own seats while Hinata unnoticed made it to his own table, scanning the hall as he did.

Hinata paused.

In a far corner of the Great Hall was a single figure, wrapped up in a bronze and blue scarf and sitting quietly with a book open in his hands.

And it was _exactly _the figure Hinata needed to see.

Blessing fate or destiny or whatever cosmic force there was behind Divination, Hinata all but ran to the table and fell down to the seat.

"AKAASHI!"

Akaashi jumped, eyes going up and then through Hinata, mouth turning down into a confused frown.

"It's me," Hinata said, quickly lowering his voice, "I'm invisible!"

Akaashi blinked. "Hinata?"

"Yeah," Hinata breathed out in relief, "thank Merlin, you found me! I thought I'd never get a chance to see you alone! How'd you know I needed to talk to you? Was it like a vision or a prophecy or..."

Akaashi winced. "Um, I didn't-"

"Anyway," Hinata waved him off, "not important. The important thing is apparently someone's trying to kill me."

"I know." The psychic nodded.

Hinata's eyes flashed. "You _saw _it?!"

"Bokuto told me," Akaashi finished.

"Oh….okay." He paused. "So, who is it?"

"What?"

"Who's trying to kill me," Hinata pressed. "You have to know, right? I mean you knew about Sora and the Founders' Tasks and you even helped with the basilisk, so you have to know about this, yeah? I mean I know you don't really like to interfere with things because then it makes the visions less clear or something; _but, _if it's only this, that's fine, right? You can just tell me who it is and then I'll tell the others and I won't mention you or anything so-"

"I don't know who it is," Akaashi interrupted.

Hinata stared and Akaashi met his eyes.

"Huh? But what about your visions? You've had to see something!"

Akaashi looked back down at his book. If Hinata didn't know better, he'd even say the other boy was blushing.

"My visions have been….," Akaashi paused, looking like he was internally debating, "_malfunctioning, _I suppose. It's been happening all year."

"Your visions are broken!" Hinata yelled, quickly shushed by Akaashi. "But, you're a _psychic_! How does that even work? Wait, does that mean like the future is broken or something?"

"I sincerely doubt the future is 'broken'," Akaashi deadpanned before sighing. "I don't know why it's happening. It's strange. Normally, I get scenes, pictures at least. Things that I can make sense of even if they don't all come from the same time line. But, now? It's like it's changing too fast. The futures are muddling together and I can't make out which is which."

Hinata swallowed. "But, that's like….really bad, yeah? It can't be a good thing if _you _don't even know the future."

"I'm hoping it passes," Akaashi said quietly.

"You said it's been going on all year and you don't even know why!"

Akaashi didn't say anything.

"What if you told someone," Hinata suggested. "Like Professor Nekomata! I bet he could figure it out! Or maybe Bokuto-"

"No," Akaashi interrupted immediately, hard enough for Hinata to flinch. Akaashi sighed, lowering his voice back to normal. "I'll figure it out somehow. We don't need to tell anyone."

"...okay," Hinata agreed reluctantly.

Akaashi gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Hinata, I'd...I'd help if I could. I promise."

"I understand."

Hinata mentally kissed goodbye to the best plan he had of getting out of this easily. It looked like he was stuck on monitoring duty forever.

ooooooo

Asahi didn't like to make things difficult.

If pressed, the larger teen would say that was pretty much his defining trait and why he made such an absolutely atrocious Gryffindor.

Asahi preferred being quiet. He liked settling into the background even as he despaired over the fact that, because of his size, that was practically impossible. He liked playing things safe and waiting-hopefully, long enough that the danger would simply pass by.

He didn't like danger. He didn't like trouble.

And, most of all, he hated when people were hurt.

Across from him, Noya laughed cheerfully. "It's just a scratch, Asahi! Quit being all frown-y!"

Asahi didn't say anything, holding Noya's wrist carefully as he examined the scrape along the arm.

It's not as if it was a big cut or anything. The faint signs of blood were already wiped away by the time Noya had come to Asahi.

Still…

With his free hand, Noya poked at Asahi's frown before moving onto his chin and tilting it up until he was meeting Noya's eyes.

Noya grinned. "Come on, a quick Episkey and it'll be good as new."

Things were never good as new. Even when mended, even when healed, the hurt still _happened._ The scab had still bled. The skin had still protested abuse in blackish purple.

Healing could erase the signs; it would never erase the past.

Asahi didn't need a class to teach him that.

"It could still get infected even with Episkey," Asahi said instead, voice quiet. "One second, I think I have a tonic in my bag."

Noya hummed in assent. "Always taking care of me, Asahi."

Asahi knew he was blushing, even worse as he started spreading the potion along Noya's arm, watching as the scrapes faded and sunk back into unmarked skin.

Noya beamed at him.

"My hero, slayer of bruises and abrasions everywhere," Noya teased. "See, Asahi, you saved me already. Keeping me safe yet again."

_Always, If you let me._

He bit his lip before the words rushed out. As if his crush wasn't pathetically obvious already.

He cleared his throat. "Maybe no more flying through the Forbidden Forest, then?"

"Or at least keeping to the bigger clearings." Noya laughed again. "I swear, Asahi, that tree came out of nowhere! Good thing I stayed on my broom, yeah?"

"You should be more careful," Asahi said, trying hard to keep the worry out of his tone.

Noya winked. "Aren't I always?"

"No," Asahi said bluntly.

Noya...he...he was _never_ careful. Always running into things with a bright smile, an open hand, and an absolute assurance that he was doing the right thing.

Asahi loved him for it. He _adored_ him for it, like watching the power of a thunderstorm rolling through a valley, blowing everything away fast enough that even the sun couldn't catch it.

It _terrified _him.

Because what if...what if one day, the storm tore Noya apart, too. What if one day, the danger that Noya chased bit back.

What if Asahi couldn't keep him safe.

After all, he never had before. Asahi had never been able to stop the cuts, all he could manage was bandaging Noya after.

Asahi let go of Noya's wrist. "You should get to the pitch. The game's soon; Captain Akari's going to be wondering where you are."

"Oh…," Noya cleared his throat, looking sheepish. "Um, right. Thanks, Asahi."

Noya bounced back to his feet, sending Asahi a cheerful wave even as he held his previously injured arm still close to his chest. "See you after the game, okay?"

Asahi nodded. "Good luck!"

He watched as Noya left.

Asahi didn't like to make things difficult.

If pressed, he'd say that was his defining trait.

But...maybe, if they pressed just a _little_ bit harder, Asahi would say something entirely different.

Because, above everything, Asahi wanted to see Noya smile, happy and most importantly _safe._ He just wished Noya made the last part easier.

He sighed, looking up at the rolling clouds.

It was impossible to stop a storm.

ooooooo

Matsukawa and Hanamaki collapsed on the bench and Oikawa restrained an eye twitch.

"Miscreants," he greeted.

"Tooru," Makki returned with a grin,

Matsu just snickered. "Who says 'miscreant' anymore! You're like an old man!"

"Aww, don't bother him, Matsu," Makki pouted. "Can't you see he's working?"

Oikawa looked up suspiciously.

Matsu nodded, smile dropping. "You're absolutely right, Makki, my dear chum. How inconsiderate we're being."

"Rude, even," Makki agreed.

"Downright despicable."

"Atrocious, really."

Oikawa sat down his book. "_Fine_, what do you two want?"

"Nothing much," Makki said brightly. "Say, what's a good book for illusion charms?"

Oikawa narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"Because Makki and I are utterly dedicated students and exemplars of our House," Makki deadpanned. "It's for our end up the year prank. What do you think?"

"You're starting early," Oikawa commented.

Makki shrugged. "Technically, we already started either really, _really _early or kind of late, actually. Depends on your perspective."

Oikawa's suspicion rose at least thirty percent. "Wait, is this the same prank the reason you two were practically quiet last semester? Don't lie, I've thought about it. If you were just doing it to irritate me, you'd stop after a week, not a _month._"

"Book?" Matsu smiled innocently, absolutely refusing to answer.

Oikawa sighed, obediently pulling out some parchment and scribbling down a few titles. "Why ask me?"

"Because you've read practically half the library and we've never seen you with a zit in five years." Makki flicked Oikawa's nose. "Not too mention your abysmal sleeping habits. No way you're not using an illusion charm."

"It's just a good skin care routine," Oikawa muttered darkly as both Matsu and Makki sent him twin disbelieving looks. He huffed. "How likely is it that this prank annoys me?"

"Annoys _you_?" Matsu taped his chin in consideration. "Fairly low, actually."

Makki picked some imaginary lint off his shoulder. "We've decided to annoy the administration for once. Call it our end of the year gift!"

"How considerate." Oikawa rolled his eyes. "Don't get expelled, finding new roommates is a bother."

Matsu cooed. "Ha, look who cares!"

"No, no, remember, Matsu, we're not bothering him right now," Makki grinned. "After all, look how tense he is!"

Oikawa pointedly turned back to his book.

"So true," Matsu agreed. "Say, Makki, do you think it's Arithmancy?"

"Possibly," Makki considered. "But, no, I bet it's wandless magic!

Matsu laughed. "Fair point, I heard he caught a desk on fire!"

"I heard it was the room!" Makki tilted his head. "So, what about it, Oikawa, is it the wandless magic?"

Oikawa didn't deign to answer.

Matsu hummed. "Or is it that stupid bet with Kuroo?"

"Or is it about the boggarts in the woods," Makki pressed.

"Or that Miki dumped you?"

"Or is it about the time turner?"

"Or is it the Ministry committee?"

"Or is it that someone's trying to kill Hinata?"

Oikawa threw up his hands, expression a mix between bewildered and aggravated. "_Seriously?! _How do you two know about that stuff?!"

Matsu patted his back, conciliatory. "We're pranksters! It's our job to know everything!"

Oikawa slammed his head on the table.

He tried to reassure himself that they still didn't know about the basilisk from last year.

...Probably.

It was 80 to 20 odds, at least.

ooooooo

"The Quidditch Semi-Finals."

There was a flash of lightning, illuminating the solemness of Bokuto's expression while throwing the other half into sharp contrast as thunder echoed around him.

"As you all know, Gryffindor has the same record as us-one win against Slytherin and a loss against Ravenclaw. Which means _this _game is our first step at redemption." Bokuto's hand clenched into a fist. "Our one moment, our chance! This is the day we stand tall and reclaim our victory!"

He turned, Quidditch robes sweeping dramatically around him.

"So, my mighty Hufflepuff team, let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt."

The team stared.

"So cool!" Hinata said, practically vibrating in excitement. Beside him, Kageyama nodded, looking close to awestruck.

"Wow." Futakuchi frowned. "That was...actually kind of poetic."

Koki smiled. "That's because he stole it from 'The Art of War'."

Futakuchi's head jerked, turning to glare at Bokuto. "Hey, wait-"

"So," Bokuto continued blithely, "the winner of this match gets their rematch against Kur-er, Ravenclaw for the final. And we know Gryffindors a tough team, but, I think-"

"When did you even read 'Art of War'," Futakuchi interrupted, not to be deterred.

Bokuto blinked. "It's Akaashi's favorite book."

Futakuchi's jaw dropped, shooting a decided look to where the Ravenclaw was sitting peacefully at the side of the locker room.

"Your favorite book is '_The Art of War_'?!"

Akaashi shrugged.

"That and Machiavelli's stuff," Bokuto dismissed, "Anyway, Gryffindor's a good team; but, so are we! We've worked hard, we've made good plans, and we've beaten them before. All we gotta do now is make sure we beat them again."

The team nodded with varying levels of enthusiasm, all except for Futakuchi, who was still twisting to look at his team. "Are we really going to ignore how _terrifying_ Akaashi is?"

Bokuto turned to Hinata. "Hinata, same plan as before, right?"

Hinata shot him a thumbs up. "Don't die!"

Futakuchi face palmed.

"I hate this team," he muttered.

Aone patted his back comfortingly.

ooooooo

Akari Hayadeisu, seventh year captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, looked out at her team with pride and barely suppressed fondness.

_Her team._

On one side of the locker room, Daichi had his arms crossed and his glare steadily intensifying as Noya tried feebly to explain exactly why he was late to practice. Akari vaguely caught the words 'flying' and 'Forbidden Forest' before she purposefully tuned out for her further sanity.

Besides, she had full trust that Daichi would handle it as always. She wondered if he realized yet they were grooming him for captain?

Near them, their two Beaters-Tanaka and their former reserve member, Kamasaki-were talking animatedly while swinging their bats with the kind of carelessness Akari swore she never saw from other team's Beaters.

Their new primary reserve member, Ennoshita, looked like he was having a much more peaceful chat with Michimiya, the youngest of the team's Chasers.

There was a peacefulness here in the chaos. Even as the storm beat right outside, the warm thrum of anticipation beat through the locker room.

Her twin sister Niko came up to punch her shoulder.

"Hey," Niko said, voice too low for the others to hear, "quit giving them that look. We've still got Ravenclaw to beat. This isn't our last game, trust me."

"That so," Akari asked.

Niko nodded, grinning fiercely. "I won't let it be."

Akari laughed. "Well, then, I guess I better give a pretty killer speech, huh?"

Niko rolled her eyes, making a shooing gesture.

_Yeah, _Akari thought again as she stepped forward with a smile. _Her team._

At least for a little while longer.

ooooooo

There was something about this game.

It wasn't the terrifying, cold of the Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff game. But, still, there was the beat of the thunder behind them, making the player's fly just a little bit faster as their hearts beat in tune. The players were all soaked to the bone, the lightning flashing against determined faces even as the booming sound could almost be mistaken for cheering.

It wasn't the annoyance and disdain that came with playing Slytherin. But, still, there was that fierce sort of competition. More than a want; but, a _need_ to win, the desire to push just a little bit harder and fly just a little bit faster.

Most of all, what made the difference wasn't the storm and it wasn't the competition.

The game was _fun!_

Hinata swooped down across the field, laughing as he caught the swing of Kageyama's last throw.

Tanaka grinned, smacking a Bludger down to him just as quick.

"_Eep!" _Hinata threw the Quaffle up, dodging the Bludger by an inch.

Koki swung down to catch the Quaffle, only to be intercepted at the last second by Michimiya.

Hinata stuck his tongue out at Tanaka, the later winking before both flew back down to the other side of the pitch.

Futakuchi recovered faster, hitting a Bludger at Michimiya, who gracefully swerved out of the way before throwing the Quaffle back to Niko.

Aone's next Bludger missed the Gryffindor Chaser by millimeters and Niko grinned sharply, almost to the goal before-

Mad Dog and Noya both speed smack in the middle, eyes caught on a tiny glint of gold as they jostled each other to get ahead.

Niko swerved back, swearing as she barely avoided ramming into them, and Futakuchi's Bludger hit at just the right second as she lost her grip of the Quaffle.

Kageyama caught it out from under her and, for a moment, Hinata couldn't tell if it was the cheers of the crowd or the boom of thunder echoing around the Quidditch pitch.

Hinata didn't wait to watch Kageyama's eye-he didn't need to-flying nimbly across the field, ducking in and out to avoid Tanaka and Kamasaki.

He closed his eyes against the rain, focusing on instinct and the rush of the wind against his soaked robes.

And, for a second, with his eyes shut tight as he waited with absolute surety for Kageyama's toss, Hinata thought back to his very first game three years ago and Kageyama's voice ringing in his ears.

"_Don't look for it, just be there!"_

Just like he knew it would, the Quaffle smacked into Hinata's glove as if drawn by a magnet and Hinata grinned as he swerved up to the goals.

He ducked a Bludger without looking before throwing at the goal, the Quaffle barely squeezing by before Daichi could get there.

"TEN POINTS HUFFLEPUFF! THAT'S HUFFLEPUFF FIFTY TO GRYFFINDOR TWENTY!"

He let out a breath, catching Kageyama already preparing somewhere in his periphery.

Hinata gripped down on his broom, readying as Daichi retrieved the Quaffle.

Three years. And still so much more to go.

Hinata couldn't wait.

ooooooo

Noya freaking _loved_ Quidditch!

The Snitch dove sharply enough that it all but dropped from the air.

Noya pushed down on his broom, using every inch of his weight to push it _down, down, down _and _faster, faster!_

Beside him, Noya felt a gust of wind and the spray of water as Mad Dog did the same as once more, they were off-neck and neck, chasing the snitch as it wove between the other players.

If there was one bad part about being Seeker it was this, as soon as Noya caught the Snitch, the game was over. Noya hated that part. If it was up to him, the game would last forever or, because Asahi would probably give him a sad look if it was literally forever, then at least until everyone got too exhausted to play.

With barely a twitch, the Snitch twisted back up into the sky and Noya pulled up, ducking around Kamasaki at the last moment, to follow the Snitch up into the clouds.

The clouds burst around him, fast enough that Noya couldn't tell what was thunder and what was heartbeat.

His eyes darted around, trying to find the trace of gold; but, there was nothing except the deep grey of storm clouds.

Mad Dog stopped, too, letting out a cross between a growl and a grunt. Noya grinned back in a moment of Mutual Seeker Telepathy.

_Next time, _Noya promised.

Mad Dog growled again, pushing back down through the clouds in the direction of the field below.

Noya hesitated.

Around him, lightning crackled in a way that Noya could feel running up his bones and made him momentarily _wish _that their brooms weren't charmed to ward off electricity.

He bit down on a grin. Asahi would probably hate that thought, too, the big worry wart.

On his arm, the slightly tender newly patched skin was stuck down with the chilled dampness in a way that was almost soothing.

Noya shook his head, aiming his broom back down to the clouds.

_Okay, _he thought in the middle of the storm, _be watching, Asahi, because this next catch is for you._

ooooooo

Bokuto dived for the left goal.

He wasn't fast enough, not with the rain, the Quaffle slid off his fingers before he could get a hold on it, but maybe…

There wasn't time to think, he just pushed his fingers just a bit more, focusing on pushing rather than catching just enough…

The Quaffle redirected, hitting off the outer ring of the goal rather than falling through and Bokuto all but beamed at Niko's swears.

He dove down to recover the Quaffle, catching it and twisting it before he could even get a firm grip so it pulled back up to Kageyama.

"MISSED GOAL!" The announcer's voice rang out over the storm. "HUFFLEPUFF'S CAPTAIN STOPS GRYFFINDOR CHASERS TO KEEP THE SCORE AT HUFFLEPUFF SEVENTY TO GRYFFINDOR FIFTY!"

Bokuto grinned, flying protectively around his goals as Gryffindor tried to pull off a last second interception, Michimiya barely touching the Quaffle before it was aimed to the right.

Bokuto hit it back with the back end of his broom, realizing his mistake at the last second as Akari caught it on the rebound and hit it to the left.

"GOAL FOR GRYFFINDOR! SEVENTY TO SIXTY!"

He grumbled as he retrieved the Quaffle, throwing it back into play to Koki, who managed to toss it successfully off to Kageyama.

Bokuto sat ready on his broom and focused, waving good-natured at the wink Akari threw him.

"Getting tired that easy," the Gryffindor captain teased him.

Bokuto laughed and Akari took off down the field.

Bokuto pressed his lips firm to stop from smiling, resolving here and now that he would never let another Quaffle get by him in _his entire life._

ooooooo

Tanaka hit the Bludger with a loud _smack!_ that reverberated down his arm like a canon.

It still wasn't fast enough to catch the bright orange and yellow blur, sweeping down the field in a way that almost defied gravity.

Kamasaki was breathing heavily beside him. "I really thought you were _exaggerating _that he was that hard to catch!"

Tanaka shrugged.

Privately, in a way he was never admitting even to Noya, he kinda sort of maybe understood the stunned kind of hero-worship Nao showed around his hero.

Without a shred of doubt, Hinata was the absolutely most infuriating player Tanaka had ever played against with the only close second-

"I swear they're not even _looking _at each other," Kamasaki despaired, just as Kageyama threw what looked like blindly across to Hinata in a place Tanaka would _swear _the smaller boy wasn't anywhere close a second ago.

"That's because they're probably not," Tanaka said, letting out a half laugh.

Kamasaki shot him a look like he was crazy.

Tanaka didn't have time to answer, pulling down and moving on reflex to hit the Bludger back, actually managing to knock the Quaffle outside of Hinata's hands and into Michimiya's.

He pulled back up to Kamasaki with a grin. "You get used to it!"

"Why couldn't they be Gryffindors," Kamasaki moaned a bit desperately.

Tanaka looked at him seriously. "I ask myself that every match."

Any continued conversation was momentarily delayed as Bokuto caught the hit from Niko and the Quaffle was thrown back to Kageyama.

Tanaka bit back on a moan as Kageyama threw the ball seemingly at random only for Hinata to duck down behind to grab it.

Truly, no one understood the sheer craziness that came with blocking the Hufflepuff team.

ooooooo

There was a flash of gold, almost invisible with the weight of the clouds and Kyotani _dove._

Kyotani, the resident Mad Dog of Hufflepuff, wasn't the type to get lost in his head so he just moved-eyes targeted solely on the slight glint like a pit bull's grip on a frayed rope.

Beside him, he felt more than saw another presence pulling beside him; but, it didn't matter.

All that mattered for Kyotani was the chase for the small golden ball and the whip of yellow and black uniforms all around him.

ooooooo

_For my seniors!_

Michimiya rushed forward, pulled back, dove down, shot up, pushed herself further and faster and more and greater and lost everything in the absolute rush of the next second of the game.

It didn't matter if they won. Not really. Definitely not for her, she was only a fifth year, she had more years ahead.

But, this could be her Niko and Akari's last game-her fellow Chasers, her _seniors._

Michimiya grit her teeth and held onto her broom.

And Merlin help anyone who believed she wouldn't give it her all!

ooooooo

In the end, the game went like this….

The score was one hundred to eighty with Hufflepuff in the lead.

Akari threw off to her sister Niko, who aimed for the goal just one more time.

Bokuto swerved down, almost slamming into the goal in his quest to catch it.

Michimiya held her breath, waiting.

Bokuto intercepted it barely, tossing it back up to be caught by Koki.

Kamasaki hit a Bludger towards Koki.

Koki threw behind him to Kageyama.

Akari and Michimiya dove to intercept.

Kageyama tossed blindly across the field.

Diving to pick up Kamasaki's Bludger, Tanaka hit it with everything he had.

_SLAM!_

The Bludger hit into the Quaffle, throwing it off course and dropping quick.

Skimming millimeters from the grass, Niko intercepted it and pulled up.

Futakuchi's Bludger nearly knocked her off of her broom and the Quaffle went _up!_

Hinata grabbed it out of the air, racing to the goal posts.

Akari swerved up beside him, trying to cut off his path.

Aone moved in front of them, dividing them and cutting off Akari.

Daichi let out a breath, already moving to the left where Hinata was aiming.

Hinata threw the Quaffle at the goal.

A whistle blow screeched across the pitch.

All players stopped.

Except for one.

And, standing proudly on the ground, a single player held up a closed fist and opened his hand to the crowds. In his palm laid a bright gold ball rested easily, folding up faint golden wings.

"GRYFFINDOR'S SEEKER HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH! FINAL SCORE: TWO HUNDRED TO ONE HUNDRED POINTS! GRYFFINDOR WINS!"

Noya grinned.

It was….a really good game.

ooooooo

A/N: Hey, guys, bit of a different style for the Quidditch game this chapter so hope you enjoyed :) Next Chapter: Less Than Invincible Post Date: Feb. 23/24th (full disclosure: I'm out of town next week on my major writing days so this might throw the schedule off some; still planning for the usual two week date though)


	16. Less Than Invincible

Ozuro Kuroo was not happy.

Sitting across the table and pressing down on a smile, Tetsuro Kuroo found that he could not care less.

He happily stabbed a fork into his sheppard's pie and found he couldn't resist poking a bit. "Well, I'm famished. Sure you're not hungry, Dad?"

Ozuro shook his head, fingers held lightly on his cup of tea. "I don't expect this to be a very long meeting."

"Oh?" Kuroo openly let a pleased smile bloom across his face, not caring about the way his father's mouth twitched down in response.

Kuroo had come to a realization-hard earned and once reached, he couldn't help think that it should have happened much sooner.

Kuroo did not care about his father's opinion.

Why should he? Kuroo had fought a basilisk, had dueled a professor, had seen a friend petrified, and was currently trying to stop a murder plot. Kuroo was one of the top students in his year and competing hard with Oikawa for the top spot. He had friends and Kenma. Merlin, he was on the Hogwarts Quidditch Championship team. None of those things depended on his father. So, why should he care about the wants of one slimy politician?

Sure, Ozuro was manipulative. Yes, the man was dangerous in the political sphere and would always, always, _always _turn things self-serving, no matter what it meant for the people he was using. But, here's the thing…

Kuroo didn't have to be used.

And he was perfectly happy staying as far away from his father's orbit as he was possibly able.

With that, Kuroo took another bite of his meal, feeling triumphant.

Ozuro hummed. "Are you sure your friends can't join us? I'm sure teenage boys would always enjoy a good meal."

Kuroo didn't bother looking up. "Yes."

"Yes, they can come?"

"Oh no, yes, I'm very much sure that they won't be here," Kuroo corrected.

Ozuro's lip twitched down again. "All of them?"

"Busy schedules, you know."

"I'm sure," Ozuro said in a way that implied the opposite. "Strange isn't it? You'd think your friends would care more about the things important to you, Tetsuro."

Kuroo actually did pause this time, not allowing his eye to narrow.

He gave his father a sunny smile. "Yeah, well, us teenage boys-no respect for the greater things in life like high politics."

Ozuro sighed, shoulders slumping in what could've been disappointment. "That is unfortunate, You sure none of your friends are interested in political futures?"

"Quite sure," Kuroo lied.

"I assume that will create some distance for you and them."

"I think we'll be able to manage," he said blandly, tone growing firmer. "After all, _no one's _future is set in stone, father. Not even mine."

Ozuro did not comment, brows pinching together before they smoothed out.

Kuroo waited, heart beating faster in anticipation like watching his team score the winning goal.

His father took another sip of tea before sitting his cup down.

The cup landed on the saucer with a soft _clink _so different than the chime of a warning bell.

Ozuro looked up to meet his son's eyes.

"I am not happy, Tetsuro."

Kuroo's smile almost faltered before he strengthened it . "Well-"

"The reason I'm not happy," his father continued calmly as if Kuroo hasn't spoken, "is that I feel you have forgotten our goal here. I will admit I've had small worries for awhile. I was concerned but assumed you'd soon grow out of your _childish _need to act defiant. And, if nothing else, I was reassured that you at least seemed strategic in your choice of friends."

He took another sip of tea before continuing. "I'd hoped that the responsibility of the Time Turner and your task of swaying the Tsukishima and Yamaguchi families for their support on our werewolf bill would help you find your focus." His father sighed. "Unfortunately, instead I've found you've disappointed me at every turn. You're courting of the Light families has barely amounted in a measly Christmas invitation. You don't even consider remaking old alliances like that Kenma boy." His father's expression darkened. "And worst of all it seems you are entirely unconcerned about your Time Turner assessment, an opportunity I worked tirelessly to gift you. A true masterful opening to your goal of making a name for yourself in the political world."

Kuroo frowned. "My goal isn't-"

"_Yes, it is."_

Kuroo's next words dried in his throat.

"Yes, it is," his father repeated, not allowing any room for disagreement. "Because I am your father and you are _my _son. Because you are a Kuroo and I have put far, _far _too much work into you from _before you were even born _fo you to _dare _even think to throw it away."

Kuroo didn't say anything and his father took another sip of tea.

"You have disappointed me, Tetsuro," Ozuro continued, shaking his head. "You couldn't even manage the simple task of convincing your friends to have tea."

His father waved his wand. "_Accio."_

A thin file flew into his hand.

"I'm afraid we'll have to be adjusting our plans." Ozuro slid the file over to Kuroo.

Kuroo took it, hands tight around it like it held his death warrant.

Ozuro raised an eyebrow. "Go on, open it."

Kuroo did.

He stared.

"These are acceptance letters," he said dully.

His father nodded. "Yes, I took the liberty of applying for you. Only the best, of course. Durmstrang, Beauxbatons, Ilvermorny. Why I think you'll even find Koldovstoretz and Mahoutokoro if you'd prefer something further from home."

"I prefer _Hogwarts_," Kuroo said, mouth opening and closing. "_Dad, _what are you even talking about? I'm a fifth year. I can't just….just leave Hogwarts!"

"It's rare, yes, but you know a little influence goes a long way," Ozuro said. "Yes, I'd have preferred you graduated from a British school for appearance sake; but, we can work around. Who knows? It should even give you a boost in foreign diplomacy."

"But, I don't want to leave Hogwarts," Kuroo shouted.

"No?" Ozuro said in a way that should be a warning if Kuroo was calmer. "And why's that?"

Kuroo gaped. "Because my friends are _here!_"

Ozuro smiled like a hunter springing a last trap. "The friends that you've _assured _me have no interest in politics. I think we can do better than that. Can't we, son?"

Kuroo stared, trying to think of anything, _anything _he could say.

His father sipped at his tea calmly.

"Don't do this," Kuroo said finally. "I'm _begging _you. Don't make me leave them."

Ozuro sat down his tea and stood.

He looked down at his son, cold and imperious. "Then give me a reason why you should stay."

With that, his father turned, tossing a wave in almost a belated gesture. "I'm very much looking forward to your performance in the Ministry assessment, son, I just _know _you'll make me proud. I'm thinking a meeting the morning of to confirm our goals, yes? I have a busy schedule; but, I'm sure I can find time. No need to thank me, Tetsuro, and don't worry, I'll give your mother your love."

Kuroo had nothing else to say as he watched his father leave the room, the only things to mark his visit a half eaten pie, an empty cup of tea, and a thin little folder.

Suddenly, Kuroo realized he felt a lot less invincible.

ooooooo

If the last meeting of the unfortunately named "Keep Hinata Alive To Graduation Society" could be described as a mixture of chaotic worry, this one felt restless like watching a kettle start to boil but not yet hearing the whistle.

It made Kenma shift restlessly even if the small action went almost unnoticed. He focused hard on keeping his hair from flickering through colors.

Kuroo was the last to arrive, slipping wordlessly into the abandoned classroom and coming to stand between Bokuto and Iwaizumi. He didn't even spare a glance towards Kenma.

Kenma frowned, trying to catch Kuroo's eyes.

Kuroo looked away.

"Alright," Oikawa announced, mouth quirked down with an air of frustration, "it's been over a month and, as far as we know, no one's even _tried _to kill Hinata."

Hinata blinked. "Yay?"

"Not 'yay'," Oikawa corrected. "Not yay at all. _Nay_ even."

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes.

"And why 'nay' you ask," Oikawa continued regardless, "because this means we still have no idea who's trying to kill you."

Asahi peaked his head up from the corner of the room. "...um, is it possible….I mean maybe they really _were _accidents?"

The entire room stared at him.

"...or maybe not," he finished weakly.

Noya grinned beside him, bumping his shoulder into Asahi. "Hey, yeah, maybe they were accidents!"

"Yeah; but, bro, what are the odds," Tanaka asked.

"Well, it _is _Hogwarts." Tsukishima sniffed. "From my experience, this is place is basically a walking death trap."

Suga hummed. "This could be good."

"That our school is a death trap," Bokuto asked.

"That no one's tried to kill Hinata," Suga continued. "Sure, it doesn't help us figure out who did it; but, maybe it means that the guards are working. Whoever's behind it really _doesn't_ want to get other people involved."

"Which leads back to someone with a personal vendetta." Ennoshita frowned. "But, why _Hinata_?"

Hinata shifted under the weight of the stares. "Sorry, I've been trying to think and I really don't know why anyone would want to kill me."

Daichi sighed. "Suga's right, though. We may not have a culprit; but, at least we can keep Hinata safe. That's the important part, right?"

"What about summer," Kageyama asked, a darker presence by Hinata's side.

Oikawa's mouth pinched slightly before he looked from Kageyama to the rest of the group. "We'll think of that if it gets closer. We still have a month before school ends, that's still time we can use to catch them."

Tsukishima narrowed his eyes. "A month, huh? Say that's about the time Hogwarts is getting a surprise visit from what looks like half of the Ministry higher ups. I'm _sure_ you couldn't tell us why that is."

Kuroo stiffened and Kenma watched him with a frown.

Suga just smiled innocently. "I heard they're coming to hear a magical creatures case."

"Oh, is that all," Ennoshita asked.

"What else are you suggesting," Oikawa said, matching Suga's smile.

Yamaguchi groaned. "Come on, just tell us. We know it has to do with _something _you guys are up to. It's only a month."

"Great, then, you'll know when we can tell you," Iwaizumi said, lip quirking up and Oikawa laughed.

"Iwa-chan, I love it when even _you _get secretive."

"Shut up," Iwaizumi huffed, almost fondly. "I know how to keep secrets."

Oikawa snorted. "_Sure, _you do."

"Alright." Daichi stepped forward. "So, that's it. Just keep up guard duty as usual?"

"Do you think that's enough," Yachi asked.

Lev shrugged. "Worked so far."

"Besides," Bokuto added, "not much else we can really do until we get a better lead. Until then, I guess all we really got is to keep doing what we're doing. At least, we know it's working."

Yachi frowned, looking uncertainly to the ground like she didn't particularly like that answer but couldn't think of anything else to say.

Hinata grinned at her, trying to look reassuring. "I'll be fine, Yachi."

She gave a weak smile back. "You better."

The meeting ended almost exactly like it began, with more dissatisfaction than anything. As the crowd slowly flocked out of the room, Kenma tried to catch Kuroo's shoulder.

Kuroo pulled away before he could, not looking back as he headed quickly down the hall.

Kenma watched him leave and this time he didn't bother to stop the way his hair flickered in worry.

ooooooo

Hinata had….serious questions about how the rest of them chose guard duty.

"You don't even like Quidditch," Hinata complained.

"I love Quidditch," Tsukishima corrected in a completely bland voice while sighing like he meant the exact opposite.

"I don't believe you!"

"Tsuki _does _like Quidditch," Yamaguchi piped in from beside him. "We listened to every game even before we came to Hogwarts! His brother was on the team."

Kageyama narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Your brother was on _Hufflepuff_'s Quidditch team?"

Frankly, Hinata couldn't see _anyone _related to Tsukishima being anything except Slytherin.

Tsukishima gaze veered off into the stands as if he couldn't be bothered to maintain the conversation beyond the absolutely bare minimum. "Akiteru was a reserve member."

Yamaguchi beamed. "See! Tsukishima loves Quidditch!"

"Then, why don't you play," Kageyama accused.

Tsukishima glanced back just to give Kageyama a look highly questioning his intelligence. "Would you want to play with the Slytherin team?"

Hinata and Kageyama couldn't really argue with that.

Tsukishima sniffed. "Besides, I _like _Quidditch; but, when you get down to it, my time is far too valuable. It's just an after school team, you know? It's not as if I wanted to do it professionally."

Hinata puffed out his chest. "_We're _going to do that.."

"We're going to play Quidditch forever." Kageyama nodded seriously beside him.

Tsukishima looked down on them. "The odds of playing professionally for even one of you is less than one percent."

Hinata blinked. "So?"

Yamaguchi hid a laugh at the sight of utter annoyance on Tsukishima's face.

"This is why people want to kill you," Tsukishima said flatly.

"_Hey!"_

Hinata stuck out his tongue and Kageyama glared, dragging Hinata out further onto the field and away from the conversation.

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi watched as the two pushed into the air, almost immediately throwing the Quaffle in a series of complicated moves and almost impossible catches.

Yamaguchi looked over to see a still irritated frown turning down the corners of Tsukishima's lips.

"Oblivious optimists annoy me," Tsukishima muttered.

Yamaguchi sneaked a look up at him. "You sure you don't want to join? We could grab some of the practice brooms."

Tsukishima took a long drawn out sigh.

"Shut up, Yamaguchi."

"Sorry, Tsuki." Yamaguchi settled in next to his friend.

"HINATAAAAA!"

Tsukishima's eye twitched. "Oh, excellent, there's more of them!"

A second later, Tanaka and Noya bounded onto the field, the later waving his hands excitedly to try to get Hinata and Kageyama's attention.

Yamaguchi smiled. "What are you two doing here?"

"He means," Tsukishima corrected, "if _you two _were coming to the pitch anyway, why did _we _have to bother with guard duty?"

"Who wouldn't want to be at the Quidditch pitch," Tanaka asked, looking genuinely confused.

Tsukishima gritted his teeth.

"And, besides, we can't stay too long," Noya continued easily. "Gotta go check on the boggarts!"

Tsukishima glared. "Then why are you here now?!"

Tanaka and Noya exchanged a glance.

"It's a secret," Tanaka answered.

"What's a secret?" Hinata landed next to them, followed closely by Kageyama.

Kageyama frowned. "We have enough secrets."

"No like a _secret _secret," Noya waved a hand dismissively. "Like a secret so Ennoshita doesn't find out and kill us kind of secret."

"I'm not feeling particularly motivated," Tsukishima drawled.

Yamaguchi elbowed him. "What aren't we telling Ennoshita?"

"We're emphatically _not _telling Ennoshita about this wonderful and exciting opportunity." Noya threw one one arm wide while the other hand pointed at Kageyama and Hinata. "How would you two like to be part of something phenomenal. No, wait, something game changing! _World _changing! Altering the entire fabric of wizarding life."

Hinata thought for a second. "That sounds like a lot of work."

"It involves Quidditch," Tanaka added.

Hinata brightened immediately. "Okay, we're in!"

"Shouldn't you at least ask what it is first," Tsukishima said, a hand raised to cover his face so at least he didn't have to see the idiots.

Kageyama shrugged and Hinata answered for them. "It's Quidditch!"

Tsukishima sighed heavily and Yamaguchi patted his shoulder in comfort.

"The correct answer," Noya crowed. "Because what we're doing is teaching the new Quidditch players of tomorrow! Shaping first hand the entire future of Quidditch as we know it!"

"In other words, we want you two to help us train Nao." Tanaka smiled sheepishly. "We might've been using it as motivation to get him to clean our room all month."

Hinata's face drained of color. "...Oh."

The group glanced at him and Hinata shuffled on his feet. "Um, sure, I'll do it. It's just...Nao kind of scares me."

"He's eleven," Tsukishima deadpanned. "How can he possibly scare you? You're his hero."

"Exactly." Hinata nodded emphatically. "That's why it's scary! I'm terrible at being a hero!"

Kageyama rolled his eyes. "We're in. When?"

Tanaka and Noya high fived.

"About a month," Noya answered.

"We still gotta teach the kid the rest of the basics." Tanaka wiped away a stray tear. "They grow up so fast."

Noya nodded, clapping his hands together in front of him. "But, the most important thing is this: Don't tell Ennoshita! Um, and especially not the part about Nao cleaning our room!"

"Got it!" Hinata gave a thumbs up.

As one the entire group looked to Tsukishima.

The Slytherin boy sighed. "Fine, whatever."

Noya and Tanaka beamed, exchanging one last enthusiastic confirmation with Hinata before bounding off in the direction of the forest.

Yamaguchi waited until Hinata and Kageyama had taken back to the field, far enough out of earshot to leave Yamaguchi and Tsukishima unheard.

He glanced over at his friends. "You're going to tell Ennoshita as soon as you can, aren't you?"

"Definitely," Tsukishima answered immediately. "I honestly don't know why they even believed me."

Yamaguchi bit down on a laugh. "Tsuki's a terrible person."

Tsukishima just smiled.

ooooooo

In a forgotten corner of the library, Yachi held the slip of parchment in her hands as carefully as if she feared it would catch fire.

She felt her heart beating wildly in her chest and she didn't quite know if she wanted to smile for all the world to see her or hide in a dark corner of her room where she didn't have to face the outside.

Her mother had written her back.

_Alright, Hitoka. I will be free and at Hogwarts before the Ministry review. We can talk then._

_Madoka Yachi_

Yachi swallowed. .Her mother had written her back.

Her mother was finally going to talk to her about her father.

She pressed the letter tightly to her chest and clenched her eyes shut, taking deep long breaths until she didn't feel tears pressing at the corners of her eyes.

"Hitoka?"

Yachi opened her eyes to find Kiyoko staring down at her, looking worried.

"Are you alright," the older girl asked, voice as soft as the smooth black hair running down her back.

And Yachi...Yachi finally decided what she wanted to do.

She smiled, bright and wide enough that a small laugh was surprised out with it.

"I'm fine," Yachi reassured, looking up at beautiful grey eyes. "I just feel really, really happy."

More than that.

Yachi felt strong.

ooooooo

"Something's wrong," Kenma stated, voice expressionless as he finally found Kuroo in one of the far off study rooms Ravenclaw kept tucked away past their common room.

Kuroo didn't glance up even as his shoulders tensed.

"Nothing's wrong," he said just as evenly.

"You're ignoring me."

"I'm not ignoring you."

He still didn't look up.

Kenma came to stand next to the desk, staring down at Kuroo in silence until finally, reluctantly Kuroo complied.

Kenma waited until he met his eyes. "Something's wrong and you're ignoring me."

Kuroo's generic smirk dropped and for a second, he looked far, far too lonely.

"I'll fix it, Kenma. You don't need to worry."

Kenma didn't bother acknowledging the second part. "You met with your father today."

The way Kuroo's face twisted down in a brief scowl told Kenma that he was on the right path.

"What happened," he asked, raising gold eyes to meet dark hazel and not letting them look away.

Kuroo sighed, pushing a folder forward on the desk in lieu of an answer.

Kenma took it, turning to leave through the pages before his breath caught painfully in his chest.

"I'll fix it," Kuroo repeated.

Kenma shook his head. "He can't do this."

Kuroo gave him a sardonic look. "Well, we both know that's not true." He ran a hand through his hair. "It's not decided yet. He's giving me a chance to prove to him why I should stay. Which, for now, apparently means doing every bloody thing I can for this stupid Ministry committee to make sure _both _of us look perfect."

He waved a hand at the desk and Kenma noticed parchment over parchment of copiously documented notes, all on the various minutia behind time-turners and filled to the margins with barely dry ink.

Kuroo hummed, frowning down at it. "I think I might expand it onto theoretical application, too. What do you think? That sounds impressive, right? The Ministry _loves _big sounding words they can pretend to understand. I probably should also get to work on that werewolf bill, too. Something like that _has _to make Dad happy."

Kenma laid a hand on his shoulder, feeling the uneven hitch of Kuroo's breathing.

"We'll fix this," Kenma promised.

Kuroo gave a half laugh, choked off at the end. "I don't know if that's really in our power, Kenma."

"We'll find a way anyway." Kenma smiled, more of a slight curve to a lip than anything but he knew Kuroo would catch it. "I'll handle the theory section. You always forget the citations."

Kuroo leaned his head just far enough that the tips of his hair brushed against the back of Kenma's hand. The next breath he took didn't stutter around the edges.

"Who cares about proper citations when you've got their ideas right," he joked and if it still felt a little flat, Kenma didn't say anything.

"Have you told the rest," he asked.

Kuroo shook his head. "Telling them makes it real. They have enough to worry about."

"So do you."

"Then, it's a good thing I'm not working alone," Kuroo said, glancing up at Kenma.

As he turned back to the parchments, Kuroo reached up and laid his own hand over Kenma's, almost absently. Like a reassurance of something always there.

ooooooo

A/N: Hey, guys, sorry about being a week late (as feared, being out of town really hurt my writing schedule). On a brighter note, the next chapter is...(drum roll)...the first of the finale chapters for this story! All wrapping up soon, guys, with what I hope is a few major surprises! Next Chapter: Anyone But Him Next Update: March 15/ March 16


	17. Anyone But Him

Ozuro Kuroo was pleased.

Frankly, Kuroo wasn't sure he liked it any better than when he wasn't.

"Excellent work, son," Ozuro complimented, looking down on the notes. They were seated in one of Hogwarts' spare offices that Ozuro had seemed to take over as his own. "I knew you could do better, given the proper motivation."

Kuroo waited, feeling the first dozen retorts choke and die in his throat as he swallowed down the anger to ask in as calm a voice as possible, "So, I can stay at Hogwarts?"

Ozuro hummed. "Well, we'll have to wait to see what the results of our assessment goes this evening." His father shook his head, almost fondly. "Frankly if I knew all it took for you to show some true effort was applying a little pressure, I would have considered alternative schooling far, far earlier."

Kuroo's hands clenched in his lap, keeping his face entirely expressionless.

Ozuro noticed anyway. Of course, he did. His father was like a shark hunting down blood, he wouldn't have made it as high in the Ministry if he couldn't spot weakness.

Ozuro smiled idly. "How about the werewolf bill?"

"I've talked to the Tsukishima and Yamaguchi heirs," Kuroo reported. "I think I'm making progress."

"You only think?" Ozuro sounded disappointed.

"They're thirteen," Kuroo said in exasperation, "_most _families don't drag their kids into high politics before puberty."

"Well, aren't you lucky then," Ozuro countered. "Keep trying on the Light family heirs. That bill is a much needed step on my way to being Minister. I'll be severely upset if it doesn't pass. Who knows? Possibly upset enough to believe we should consider….well, more foreign alliances elsewhere."

He left the threat unfinished; but, Kuroo didn't need to hear the end.

With a stunning strike of clarity, he realized that it wouldn't matter if he passed the time turner assessment with flying colors. All it would do is grant him a delay. His father knew how to push him now, knew the right threat. There would always be another step, another hoop to jump through.

Over and over while Kuroo kept trying to avoid what was feeling more and more like a creeping inevitability.

He'd could do it. Kuroo promised himself.

He'd keep going through whatever stupid task his father set up for him next.

To stay beside his friends, Kuroo would fight the world.

Ozuro glanced back at Kuroo's notes. "These really are well done, Tetsuro. The exact thing the Unspeakable will like. You know the rest of the plan, right?"

"Be respectable," Kuroo recited. "Put up a good image. Make sure they leave remembering my name."

Ozuro smiled. "There's my son. Luckily, I've got a media announcement already written up. After all this secrecy business is finally over, we'll snap a few photos and make sure everything's ready to printed front and center." His father leaned back in his chair. "A fifteen year old impressing the entire Ministry by handling a time turner all year. A perfect opening headline, don't you think?"

Kuroo sighed, knowing he didn't need to particularly answer for his father to be pleased with the conversation.

"I need to get ready," Kuroo lied to excuse himself. "I want to give my notes a couple more check throughs, make sure everything's perfect for tonight."

Ozuro waved him away. "Of course, of course, go on and enjoy your afternoon. I'll see you tonight."

Feeling mildly relieved, Kuroo finally headed to the door only to be stopped with his father's parting words.

"Oh, and Tetsuro?" Ozuro smiled, sharp and poisonous. "I'm proud of you."

Kuroo fought not to slam the door behind him.

Above, the clock tower struck noon.

ooooooo

Noya was a person with few regrets and even fewer fears.

Perhaps, that's why the fears he did have hit him so strongly.

"I can't believe you've been using _my little cousin, _an eleven year old, to clean our room!" Ennoshita folded his arms and glared. "This! This right here is why I warned him you'd be terrible mentors!"

"Or it's reason one on why we're the greatest mentors ever," Noya interjected, tightening the last of his Quidditch gear and dropping his bag on the field. "You're just thinking about it the wrong way, Ennoshita! Now, Nao knows about Quidditch _and _all the best spells to get rid of mold! It's like a two for one deal!"

Ennoshita stared. "When did you let our room grow _mold_?!"

"Also, it's been like a month since you found out," Tanaka added. ""I really thought you'd be over this by now."

"Didn't you get Nao to polish your broom last week," Tsukishima interjected pleasantly and decidedly unhelpfully.

If possible, Ennoshita's frown got even darker.

"Well, yeah," Noya rubbed the back of his neck, "but in our defense, he's flying with Hinata later today so really this is our last chance to use that excuse!."

Sitting on the field, Asahi let out a small laugh, smothering the noise in his sleeve.

Noya looked over and grinned at him. How could someone so big and awesome also be so adorable?

It was an easy lazy Saturday afternoon, the last weekend before exams started which meant the Quidditch field was utterly deserted. All the more studious Hogwarts students were tucked away in boring library tables instead of enjoying the beautiful afternoon that Noya fully intended to take advantage of before the boggart's hearing tomorrow morning.

Sitting on the field, Yamaguchi and Tsukishima had the boggart's defense files spread out around him, taking one last look to check for holes.

Tsukishima glanced up to glare. "How are you not more worried about the hearing? You've practically been frothing at the mouth about the boggarts all year and now, it's the day before and you're _playing Quidditch_!"

Noya shrugged. "We've done everything we can. We've been studying all semester, we've got a case, only thing we can do now is get the stupid Ministry panel to see our side." He kicked a tuft of the grass, shrugging. "It doesn't make sense to stress about it now when we can't do anything else so we might as well play Quidditch."

Tsukishima huffed. "Sometimes I can't tell if you're the stupidest person I know or actually smart."

"Tsukishima," Daichi said in a warning tone without looking up from his notes, the only one in the group actually using their afternoon to study.

Noya grinned, sticking his tongue out.

Personally, Noya just thought he had way too much experience with stuff he couldn't do anything about. It was helpful in a way, it meant he knew how to pick the times he needed to fight the most. Which reminded him….

"Hey, bro," he turned to Tanaka, "Aunt Yuka sent me an owl, she's coming in for the hearing!"

Tanaka perked up, exchanging a high five with Noya. "Awesome!" He glanced down at his broom. "Man, we really need to work on getting Nao his own broom."

"First years aren't allowed to have brooms," Ennoshita said, massaging his temples.

Tanaka snorted. "Yeah, but that's like the least followed rule in Hogwarts. Right above don't go into the Forbidden Forest." He frowned. "Plus, the school practice brooms suck! They're still using Cleansweep Twos!"

Ennoshita glared.

"...Which I'll go grab now," Tanaka said, holding his hands up in surrender and all but running to the practice broom storage.

Yamaguchi hummed, looking up and rolling his neck. "Hey, Noya, your aunt's a big magical creature rights advocate, isn't she? She advises the Wizamagot, right?"

"Yep!" Noya beams proudly. "She's the best, taught me everything I know about magical creature law." He paused to laugh. "I wouldn't say 'advise', though….more like argues with them until some of the family heads quit being stupid." He winced, glancing at Yamaguchi and Tsukishima. "Um, no offense."

Tsukishima's general look of distaste didn't get any more pointed so Noya figured he was in the clear.

Yamaguchi smiled. "None taken. I was just wondering what she thought of the Werewolf Rights Act?"

If anyone was watching for it, they would see the way that Noya's shoulders tensed, the way his smile became a little more fixed, and the way that Tanaka hesitated in his run back, practice broom in hand and eyes fixed on Noya.

"W-werewolf Rights Act," Asahi asked, fingers making an aborted move to fidget that Daichi reached up to stop all before looking up from his book.

"Why the Werewolf Rights Act," Daichi asked, frowning at the way the warm afternoon suddenly seemed a lot cooler. "I heard it wasn't being introduced until the summer session."

Tsukishima shrugged, already sounding bored with the conversation. "Kuroo was annoying us about it. As if _we _have much say over it."

"It doesn't hurt to stay informed," Yamaguchi countered before looking brightly over at Noya. "So, what do you think? You're our magical creature expert."

"_Beings,_" Noya corrected automatically. "Werewolves are magical beings."

"What makes the difference," Ennoshita asked, frowning slightly at how Tanaka had come to stand by Noya's side with the broom still held tightly in one hand.

"Intelligence," Noya muttered, looking at the ground. "Consciousness, too. Even transformed, werewolves have advanced cognition compared to magical creatures." Before anyone could ask anything more, Noya sighed, gathering his thoughts and looking back up. "As for the bill, it's….fine, I guess? The problem's more the title and the reach than anything."

Tsukishima frowned. "What do you mean?"

"It's a publicity move," Noya said shortly, rolling his shoulders. "And honestly? Kind of a transparent one, too. It's not even about 'rights', it's about basic finances so they can throw some money at the problem and pretend it'll go away. Even if it's passed, all it's going to do is get wolfsbane to maybe a dozen or so werewolves that fall into the way too specific qualifications they set up for the program. And I mean that's great that it's helping some, sure, and even more that the Wizamagot's at least _thinking_ about doing something; but, that's like also kind of the problem, too."

Noya took a breath, trying to stay calm. "The bill's being introduced so the Wizamagot can pat itself on the back and say how much good they're doing for werewolves while hardly doing anything at all about the more widespread stuff! _And _it's so that when people come by years later asking why they haven't done practically _anything _about werewolf persecution, they can point to their so called 'Werewolf _Rights _Act' and say they've done enough! It's an excuse to do _nothing _which is what the Ministry _always _does when they're not doing even worse by-"

"Bro." Tanaka laid a hand on his shoulder and Noya cut off.

Around the field, the rest of the group was staring at him.

"Anyway," Noya said with an attempt at a shrug that looked far too stiff, "that's the Werewolf Rights Act."

Tsukishima broke the silence with an interested hum. "Truthfully, I can't believe you know that much about politics."

"When it's important," Noya said, crossing his arms and holding himself still.

Yamaguchi gave a weak smile. "So, 'no' on the Werewolf Rights Act."

Noya sighed. "Well, that's the thing, a 'no' just shuts down the progress even harder. Best way would be to make the bill _stronger_; but, it's not like anyone's sticking their neck out to do that."

"Not a lot of people want to support something that scares them," Daichi said, book forgotten to lay in Asahi's hands. "Even when it's the right thing to do."

Asahi paused, mouth partly twitching down and lips pressed firmly.

"There's a lot of things to be scared of," he finally said in a voice almost too quiet to be heard.

Noya frowned, trying to figure out what that meant before Yamaguchi spoke.

"What would you do then," Yamaguchi asked, looking at Noya. "How would you make the bill better?"

"Oh, um," Noya let out a half laugh. "Not really sure, honestly. There's _so _much that could help, you know? Aunt Yuka would have a better idea how to make the good things all nice and legal sounding. I guess…," his lips finally turning up in a smile, "I guess I'd just want to get everyone to understand that werewolves are the same as everyone else. That they're not dangerous."

"They _are_ dangerous."

Everything stopped.

For a second, Noya swore even his heart stopped.

Everyone turned to look at the one who spoke, sitting right on the edge of the group and a book still clenched tightly in his hands even as he didn't look down.

Noya blinked, feeling suddenly cold. "What?"

"Werewolves are dangerous," Asahi repeated, glancing around and frowning in confusion at the looks of surprise on the group's faces. His shoulders hunched as if trying to appear smaller. "That's not….that's not a political opinion; that's just a fact. Werewolves _are _dangerous. They can kill you."

Daichi frowned. "Asahi-"

"I'm right," Asahi cut him off, breathing faster. "No, I know I'm right! _You _know I'm right! It's not….it's not just an unreasonable fear! Werewolves….werewolves can kill you. They can bite you and tear their claws through you before you can even cast a spell let alone run! They're _dangerous_!"

In contrast to how his heart stopped, now Noya feels like his heart is beating fast enough to be painful.

"So, what," he demanded, striding over to Asahi. "A lot of things are dangerous! Who cares? Werewolves don't mean-"

"_You_ should care!" Asahi says and now, he's standing. "You _never _care, Noya! You never think about how dangerous things are, you just run and go! And that's wonderful; but-," His hands clenched at his side, "Werewolves aren't like _boggarts_, they're not _dragons_! You can't tame them, Noya! All they'll do is kill you!"

"I'm not trying to tame them," Noya shouted. "_Of course, _I can't _tame _them! Of course, they're not like boggarts or dragons! How could anyone ever think they are! They're _human_!"

"They're not!" Asahi yelled back before shaking his head, closing his eyes and taking a breath. "At least, not all the time. They're _not _fully human, Noya, you shouldn't treat them that way."

Noya felt like poison was running through his veins, like his chest had caved in, cracked open and bleeding.

"How can you say that," Noya whispered fiercely and saw Asahi flinch. "_How can you say that!"_

Asahi turned away. "Nevermind, Noya. It's….it's nothing, it doesn't matter."

"IT DOESN'T _MATTER?" _Noya grabbed his shoulders, twisting the larger boy around and pushing. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'IT DOESN'T MATTER'!"

"Hey, Noya!"

In front of them, Daichi tried to get between them and Noya could feel Tanaka's hand trying to pull him back, the practice broom pushed to the side.

Noya ignored them both.

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT!" Noya continued to yell. "HOW CAN YOU EVEN _THINK _THAT! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!"

There was an expression that Noya couldn't read before Asahi's face hardened, looking a mix of hurt and furious that Noya had never seen before.

"I know that you're being reckless," Asahi said back. "I know that you're ignoring how dangerous things are just because you think if you try hard enough you'll be fine and everything will work out! You _won't _always be fine, Noya! All you'll be-all you'll be is _dead! _And for nothing! _For nothing! _Because you care so much about everything except _your safety_!" Asahi leaned forward. "Werewolves are dangerous, Noya! They're always going to be dangerous! Nothing you can do can fix that! There's nothing _anyone _can do!"

"HOW CAN YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU DON'T EVEN TRY!" Noya shouted, shoving his hands into Asahi's chest. "MAYBE THERE IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO AND NO ONE KNOWS BECAUSE THEY'RE TOO SCARED LIKE _YOU!"_

"NOYA," Asahi snapped, "THERE'S _NOTHING!"_

"Asahi," Daichi tired.

"THAT'S ALL YOU CAN SAY!" Noya's hands gripped his collar. "YOU'RE GIVING UP WITHOUT EVEN TRYING! JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE _SCARED!"_

"Bro," Tanaka started.

"IT'S NOT GIVING UP IF THERE'S _NOTHING TO DO_," Asahi yelled back. "WEREWOLVES _ARE_ DANGEROUS! THEY AREN'T HUMAN! THEY DON'T HAVE CONTROL; THEY'RE JUST _MINDLESS_! WEREWOLVES ARE _MONSTERS_, NOYA!"

Noya pushed him. Hard enough that Asahi fell back.

_SNAP!_

Too quick to stop, the broom cracked under Asahi's foot, hissing dangerously as the charms broke. The handle shot up hard, sparks flying behind it until-

_CRACK!_

Daichi fell back, hand going to his nose as blood started gushing out.

Everyone watched in a daze for a moment before Ennoshita pushed forward. "Stop standing around and _help him!_"

Immediately, Asahi duck downed to crouch beside Daichi, Noya's hands falling away on his chest as the shorter boy stood there, still in shock.

Daichi moaned, wincing as Asahi lifting his chin to examine his face with trembling fingers.

"Definitely a broken nose," Asahi said quietly. "Probably a concussion, too. He needs to go to the Hospital Wing."

Ennoshita stood, assessing the situation with Noya frozen on one side and Asahi crouched low by Daichi..

"Asahi, you should take him," Ennoshita ordered. "We'll wait here."

"I….," Asahi cast a glance at Noya before swallowing, lowering his head. "O-okay."

The larger teen hooked an arm around Daichi's back and all but lifted him back on his feet, the two slowly making their way in the direction of the castle as the air hung in complete silence.

Finally, when Daichi and Asahi had disappeared completely off the field, Ennoshita turned to their frozen member.

Ennoshita sighed. "Noya, we need-"

"No," Noya cut him off, fists clenching and unclenching at his side.

"We need to talk about this," Ennoshita pressed.

"No," Noya repeated and then, he turned and walked off the field, the opposite direction Asahi had gone.

Those remaining looked at each other.

"I'll, um, I'll go talk to him," Tanaka said, turning and running off after Noya.

When there was only the three of them left, Yamaguchi finally spoke-looking wide eyed between where Asahi had left and where Noya had gone. "What….what just happened?"

Ennoshita shook his head. "I don't know."

Around them, the warm afternoon was fading away and a broom lay forgotten on the field, broken into two damaged parts.

ooooooo

Noya's chest hurt.

Each breath came out strained and hard, pushing on his ribs like Noya's hands had pushed-had pushed-

His eyes stung and he rubbed at them roughly.

He wanted to be alone.

He didn't want to be alone. He never wanted to be alone.

He didn't want to be alone and he wanted to be with Asahi because he _always _wanted to be with Asahi.

He always wanted to be with….Didn't he? Did he still?

Yes.

_No._

Yes and no.

Yes. Because Asahi was warm and kind and he looked at Noya like he was something precious that he couldn't quite believe was there. Because he hid his smiles when he was happy and fidgeted with his sleeves when he was nervous and always, always made Noya's heart beat faster. Because Asahi healed people and made everything better and talked so softly and cared so strongly and was scared of everything even as he reached out a hand anyway and Noya had fallen….fallen….fallen…..

Yes. Because Asahi was Asahi and Noya was in love with him and still was even though his words burned in Noya's ears like they never had before.

No. Because Noya _hurt _and…._fuck, _he never thought he could hurt like this. Because Noya didn't want to see him, didn't want to hear him, didn't want to touch him because what if that just meant Noya would be hurt more and Noya didn't think he had much left to break. Because he never thought Asahi could yell before and never like that and never….never _about _that. Because Noya didn't know what to do now.

No. Because when Noya fell in love with a kind man with softer eyes, he never had considered that all falls meant an eventual landing. Because when he fell, he'd never thought the ground would hit him this hard.

Noya wrapped his arms around himself and sunk down in the shadows of the forest, leaning against the trunk of an old tree.

"Bro?"

"He wasn't supposed to say that," Noya whispered. "He wasn't supposed to ever think that. How could he think that? It's Asahi….he's….he's _Asahi…._"

Never, never Asahi.

Tanaka sat next to him, not touching him but close enough that Noya could reach out.

"Why did he say that," Noya asked.

"Because he's scared, bro," Tanaka looked down at the dead leaves. "It's Asahi, he gets scared easy. Werewolves….you know people, man, they get scared when they don't understand things."

"So, that makes it okay?"

"No, Noya." Tanaka sighed. "You know it doesn't."

"It was never supposed to be him," Noya said, leaning his head on his knees. "_He _was never supposed to be one of those people."

"I know, bro."

"He called them mindless," Noya's voice hitched in the middle. "He called them _monsters_."

Tanaka paused. "Noya, you know he didn't mean-"

"That doesn't make it better," Noya interrupted.

"...I'm sorry, Noya."

Noya nodded, staring out into the darkness of the forest without actually seeing it.

"Are you going to tell him," Tanaka asked and this was why he was Noya's best friend because sometimes he knew what Noya had decided to do even before Noya did.

"Yeah," Noya admitted. "But, I'm scared."

"You don't have to," Tanaka reminded him. "Especially not now. You can wait until it calms down, at least until we're done with the hearing."

"I don't want to wait."

"Okay."

Noya looked down. "You know this is probably really selfish; but, I keep thinking that….I mean if for some reason, someone had to say those things and I had to pick….I think I'd rather it have been anyone else. Anyone except Asahi."

Noya sighed, holding his knees even tighter.

"Anyone but him."

ooooooo

"Ah-hee."

"You shouldn't talk with your nose like that," Asahi said softly as they waited for Professor Nekomata.

In response, Daichi didn't say anything but the look alone made Asahi look away.

"...I wasn't wrong," Asahi whispered, not backing down. "They are dangerous. It doesn't….it doesn't matter what you say or what anyone says, I'm right and I know it."

Daichi continued to stare at him.

"What if he got hurt," Asahi asked, shaking faintly, "what if….one day, he….he ran into a werewolf and-," Asahi closed his eyes. "What if he got killed. What if one day, he sees one and he doesn't believe they're dangerous and he….I can't see him get hurt, Daichi. Not like that, _never like that, _I never want to see him get hurt even if…."

_Even if my words are what hurt him this time._

_Even if he hates me._

"Maybe it would be better if he hates me," Asahi admitted quietly.

Daichi punched him hard in the shoulder.

Asahi winced. "It would be easier. He probably hates me already."

Daichi glared, opening his mouth to say something before Nekomata walked back into the room, pointing his wand at Daichi's nose.

"_Rumpitur Vestigium!_"

Nekomata frowned, analyzing the wave of smoke that poured briefly along Daichi's face. "You were right about the concussion. Nose should be an easy enough fix; but, I'm keeping him here a few hours for observation. Probably until after dinner, at least. Can't be too careful with head wounds."

Nekomata turned then, heading back into his office to grab a few potions.

Asahi began inching to the door, only for Daichi to grab him by the back of his robes.

Asahi sighed, looking down at his shoes to mumble. "Please don't make me talk about it, Daichi. Not tonight, _please, _I need to be alone tonight."

Daichi's hand dropped away and Asahi had one quiet moment to think he'd be left in peace before Daichi held up a hand.

"Wait." Daichi winced, still obviously having trouble speaking with his nose. He sighed, reaching for the note part. He wrote two sentences before shoving it at Asahi's chest.

Asahi looked down.

"_You are wrong. Talk to him."_

He glanced up to find Daichi staring at him firmly.

"I'll see you tomorrow; try to get some rest," Asahi said and turned away, quicker than Daichi could catch this time as he pushed his way out of the Hospital Wing.

It didn't matter what Daichi said. Asahi knew exactly what he had done. He wasn't going to take it back.

Besides, even if Noya hated him, maybe….maybe that really would be for the best. There were a lot better people for Noya than Asahi. Really…..really when it came to it….

Asahi pressed down on his lips firmly, ignoring the way his eyes had gotten wet and his chest was still shaking.

Really when you got down to it practically anyone would be better for Noya.

Anyone but him.

ooooooo

_Don't screw this up._

Kuroo took a deep breath and then another, standing in a quiet little corner a few hallways down from the hall the Ministry officials had gathered in.

He held the notes tight to his chest as he tried to find his focus,

Around him, the afternoon had finally given way to evening.

_Don't screw this up._

It was ten minutes before he met with the Ministry officials. Ten minutes before Kuroo had to give a performance that was perfect in every way, one that even _his father _couldn't find a flaw in.

Kuroo didn't….he didn't want to do this.

Merlin, he didn't know if he could do this.

This was so, so stupid.

Kuroo had faced so much worse than this, he thought he'd actually die more than a few times the past few years. And, yet, the scariest thing right now he could possibly think of was talking to a few Ministry officials that didn't even know they were holding every good thing in his life right in the palm of their hands.

_Don't screw this up._

He took another breath and felt in his pocket for a forgotten little coin.

He pulled the Galleon out, rubbing his finger against one side, a gouged cut running right down the center of one side.

He breathed, closing his eyes and thought.

Somewhere, his friends were probably laughing over dinner, bemoaning the fact they wouldn't have the time turner anymore to cram in extra studying before exams. Sometime soon, Bokuto was probably going to make another terribly awful prediction and Suga would laugh, trying softly to see the bright side. Some time, Oikawa would make a comment just the right side of sharp and Iwaizumi would hit the back of his head, rolling his eyes. Sometime, they would find another mystery. Someone trying to kill Hinata or petrifications in the castle or maybe just a teacher Oikawa had a bad feeling about.

Some time, his friends were going to need him.

And Kuroo was going to be there.

He opened his eyes and took his first step down the hall.

He was ready and no Ministry official was going to stand in his way.

However, it was with the unfortunate sense of hindsight that Kuroo learned another important lesson much too soon.

Focusing on what's ahead of you makes it far too easy to get hit from behind.

"_Stupefy!"_

Red sparks hit Kuroo hard in the back and he fell to the ground, unconscious.

A/N:

Don't hate me, guys! It'll be okay eventually.

Next Chapter: Howl


	18. Howl

A/N: Okay,so, first...guys, I have been waiting to post some of the scenes in this chapter for TWO YEARS. I am pumped to hear your reactions. Second and more serious. Trigger warning with a referenced death with a government/ police force present (not an intentional reference to anything in real life; but putting a warning here anyway). Also, warning for like angst in general. Next chapters swapping from angst to more action based.

ooooooo

The look Daichi gave him was nothing short of disbelieving.

Suga just smiled.

"There's no way," Daichi said, voice still slightly whistling from the recently mended nose. "There is no _possible_ way I believe your group gets in more trouble than mine."

Suga shrugged.

"No, I'm the one with the broken nose. I definitely win this one," Daichi argued triumphantly. "Your friends are the easier ones!"

Suga bent up to kiss his cheek.

"Whatever you say, dear," Suga said in a voice that clearly and obviously implied the opposite.

Daichi rolled his eyes. "You're a horrible, mean boyfriend sometimes. You know that, right?"

Suga smirked. "Excuse you, I'm a perfectly wonderful boyfriend that left dinner early the second Ennoshita told me you were in the hospital wing."

Daichi pulled them to a stop in the deserted hall, turning to put his hands on Suga's waist.

"You know I _was _recently injured," Daichi teased. "You shouldn't be so cruel to the weak and wounded."

"Wounded, is it?" Suga looked up through his lashes, smiling in that lightly mischievous way that Daichi loved. "Do you think a kiss would make it better?"

"It couldn't hurt," Daichi said reasonably.

Suga laughed, leaning up and drawing closer to-

"Daichi?"

Both Daichi and Suga jumped, whacking their heads together.

"_Noya!"_ Daichi groaned on reflex before his thoughts caught up with him and his head jerked over. "Noya?"

Standing at the end of the hall, Noya looked...quiet. Almost...no, actually subdued and there was something simply _wrong _at putting the words "Noya" and "subdued" anywhere close to each other.

Noya cleared his throat. "Um, so are you okay?"

Daichi was still staring so Suga stepped forward, a hand resting on Daichi's arm as he answered for him.

"He's fine," Suga said, voice soft and gentle. "Only a bit of a concussion, really. Nekomata was able to fix him up in a few hours.

"Oh." Noya's lips turned up not quite enough for an actual smile. "That's good. Sorry about…." He made a vague hand gesture that dropped halfheartedly.

"Noya," Suga said, "are _you _okay?"

Noya didn't answer. "I'm trying to find Asahi. I hoped….I mean I thought he might be with you."

"He left a few hours ago," Daichi finally managed to say.

"Oh," Noya said again.

"Can't you use the map," Suga asked.

Noya looked up, face shifting too quickly from surprise to reluctance to determination. Finally, he nodded. "Right, the map."

"Noya," Daichi said, working through his headache to try and find the words, "give him time, okay? It's late. He needs some time to get his head together. I think you both do."

"I need to talk to him," Noya argued.

"You do," Daichi agreed. "But not tonight, alright? Trust me. Give it until tomorrow morning."

Noya met his eyes and Daichi had to fight the urge to flinch away. There was something hurt there.

Something….something almost….almost….

"Did he mean it," Noya asked, words too flat. "What he said, did Asahi mean it?"

Daichi hesitated.

Which really was answer enough.

Noya's jaw set.

"Give him a chance to talk it out," Daichi asked. "Talk to him tomorrow once things calm down."

Noya paused, eyes fixed on the ground, before giving a jerky nod.

"Fine," Noya said and then he turned, heading back down the hall before either Daichi or Suga could think of anything else to say.

Suga moved forward, resting his head on Daichi's shoulders. "You think they'll be okay?"

"I don't know," Daichi said honestly. He closed his eyes, leaning against Suga in return. "Why does Asahi have to be so stubborn?"

"If it helps, I take it back," Suga said, pressing a small smile into Daichi's arm. "For tonight, your friends are definitely the most troublesome ones."

Daichi huffed out an almost laugh.

"Why did you want him to wait until tomorrow," Suga asked.

"Just a feeling." Daichi tried to keep himself from sighing. "Just a feeling that tonight's going to be hard enough already."

Outside, the sun was finally setting and the moon was just starting to rise.

"Ow!" Suga's head jerked off his shoulder.

Daichi looked over at his boyfriend. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure," Suga patted at his robe, finally pulling out a small coin. Suga frowned, looking back up at Daichi. "But, I think your feeling was right."

ooooooo

"Hey, look! It's going to be a full moon tonight," Hinata said, pointing excitedly to the sky.

"Who cares," Kageyama grumbled, crossing his arms and glaring out at the field. "_Where_ are Noya and Tanaka?"

Hinata shrugged. "Maybe there's still picking up Nao."

"They were supposed to be here an hour ago. It's going to be too dark soon."

"Maybe they forgot."

"Who forgets _Quidditch?!"_

"...okay, yeah." Hinata frowned, picking up broken pieces of a broom from where they were left on the field. "Huh, what do you think happened to this?"

Kageyama rolled his eyes. "We could've been playing by now."

"We still can." Hinata dropped the broken broom, leaning forward to poke Kageyama's forehead. "Quit being all scowly. It's going to give you wrinkles!"

"It will not!" Kageyama scowled harder out of spite. "Quit being a dumbass!"

Hinata snickered, poking Kageyama's forehead again only for his hand to get slapped away. "It will, too! And then it'll be years from now and we're going to graduate and you're going to look like you're three hundred years old and you'll have a big, mean, old wrinkly face that makes people scream and, then, I'm going to laugh at you!"

"Shut up," Kageyama muttered.

"That's okay, though," Hinata bumped his shoulder. "Because we'll still be able to play Quidditch even if your face is all mean and scary. So, it'll still be perfect."

The wrinkles on Kageyama's forehead relaxed and he looked down at Hinata with an expression caught between exasperation and fondness.

"We'll always play Quidditch," Kageyama said, not sure if he was saying it as a hope or an order.

Hinata beamed. "Yep, forever!"

And then, Hinata's head tipped back, sighing as he looked up at the sky.

"I hope Yachi's okay," Hinata admitted quietly.

"It's just a meeting with her mom."

"Yeah, I know. But…still," Hinata gave Kageyama a complicated look.

"She'll be okay," Kageyama said. "And if not….then, we'll help her be okay. That's what friends do, yeah?"

Hinata smiled softly up at him, the last hints of the sunset making his eyes shine almost golden in a way that stuck strangely in Kageyama's throat.

"That almost sounded smart, Baka-yama," Hinata teased.

Kageyama scowled again, slapping Hinata in the back of the head. "Shut _up_!"

Behind them, they heard a laugh, warm and almost melodic as it echoed around the field. "Somehow, I don't think you two are supposed to be out here this late."

Hinata let out a yelp. "Professor! We were just-"

Professor Rezei laughed again, waving Hinata's excuse away. "It's fine. I won't tell if you don't." He raised an eyebrow, glancing at the sky. "Still don't you two think it's a bit dark to be playing Quidditch? Too easy to get hurt without anyone out here to watch you."

"We were supposed to be meeting people earlier," Hinata said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "But, um, it looks like they aren't coming."

"Oh?" Rezei made a considering noise. "That's….very rude of them."

Hinata shrugged. "It's not like they meant to. They probably just forgot."

Rezei smiled with kind eyes. "Yes, but sometimes I think it's the elements that aren't thought about, that aren't _intended, _that end up hurting us the most."

Hinata blinked, frowning at the words.

"Why are you out so late, Professor," Kageyama asked.

"Actually, I was trying to find Yachi and thought she might be with you," Rezei said. "Have you seen her?"

Hinata and Kageyama exchanged a look.

"Oh, um, she's busy right now. Her mom's here for the...the Ministry committee thing and," Hinata paused, trying to find what to say, "Yachi said she needed to talk to her."

"She's talking to Madoka," Rezei asked in surprise before he smiled, looking quite pleased. "Good, that's _good_. I'm happy for her. From what I heard, Madoka wasn't being too forthcoming."

"I guess she changed her mind," Kageyama said shortly.

"I suppose so." Rezei laughed again, looking between Kageyama and Hinata. "Though, unfortunately for me, this looks like I'll have to find someone else to help me collect some Fluxweed for a potion I'm working on." He smiled. "I don't suppose you boys would be interested in helping your poor professor, would you?"

The warm wind of the early evening blew by, suddenly feeling just a little bit cooler.

Kageyama and Hinata exchanged a look, not saying the same thing. The rest of their friends would _kill _them if they went off into the woods alone while someone was still trying to murder Hinata. Even with a professor with them.

"Sorry, Professor, I don't think we can tonight," Hinata apologized. "We should probably go see where Noya and Tanaka are."

Kageyama nodded beside him, hand tensing on Hinata's shoulder.

"No worries," Rezei promised. "Maybe we'll all have better luck next time."

"Next time." Hinata grinned.

Both Kageyama and Hinata turned to head off back to the castle when suddenly, a voice echoed behind them.

"...Only I don't think I'll ever have better luck than right this second."

Both boys paused, turning back to see their teacher.

"_Imperious!"_

Rezei held up his wand, still smiling and his next words felt far away, almost like listening to a dream.

"_I think you boys should come with me."_

ooooooo

A study between Madoka Yachi and her daughter Hitoka was a study in shadows and reflections.

Madoka Yachi was determination. She had light brown hair that when the light hit just right lit up like burnished copper. Her hair was swept back elegantly, robes immaculately calculated to stay polished and feminine, even her eyes were direct and to the point.

Hitoka Yachi was hesitance. Her eyes always flickered down on reflex, her clothes felt ill fitting and caught between sizes, her hair was simply blonde and-on her less skittish days-she might be persuaded to pin a hair clip to it.

Madoka Yachi had been Head Girl of Ravenclaw, the first in her class in half the subjects, one of the youngest on record to pass the Wizarding Bar Exam, and the holder of both the Uragiri and Yachi Wizamagot seats. No one was surprised when Madoka was named Attorney General to the Ministry.

Hitoka Yachi's grades were high but never the top. She did not stand out. If anything, she hid. If anyone looked, they would be surprised to find she was in Gryffindor. Then again, she was fairly sure no one had cared to look.

Madoka Yachi was a light, direct and in the center stage.

Hitoka Yachi was a shadow, hiding quietly in forgotten corners.

Which made it all the stranger what happened in a small little classroom when Hitoka stepped forward, out of the shadows, to meet her mother's eyes only to find the woman's light much dimmer than she remembered.

Madoka sighed. "How did you find out, Hitoka? Who told you?"

"Is that really the first thing you have to say to me," Yachi asked, incredulously. "You've kept secrets from me, _about me, _about my father, about my godmother for my entire life. And the first thing you worry about is how I found out?"

Madoka's lips pressed tightly. "It was supposed to be a secret. I didn't want to hurt you."

"I think it's too late for that," Yachi said, not trying very hard to keep the bitterness out of her tone. "After all, _you're _the one who's hurt me the most."

Madoka head twitched in what might have been a flinch before she met her daughters's eyes firmly.

"What do you want from me, Hitoka," Madoka asked and her voice sounded tired. "Do you want an apology? If so, you'll have to be more specific. I'm afraid I have far too much to answer for than a single apology could ever cover."

"I want….," Yachi's hands clenched as tight as she could make them and she felt her eyes burn even as she _swore _to herself she wouldn't allow herself to cry. "I want to know what happened?"

Madoka's eyes lifted. "I thought you knew what happened."

"I do," Yachi nearly snapped before pressing her lips shut, gathering her strength. When she next spoke, her tone was level. "But, I want to hear you say it. I want to hear your side. I want to know what went wrong and why you chose to hide it from me."

Madoka closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Where would you like me to start, Hitoka?"

"At the beginning."

"The beginning?" Madoka let out a quiet laugh that wasn't near humor. "And exactly how far back is that?"

Her eyes drew back to the desk, expression dropping to something like grief. "You want me to start at the beginning, Hitoka, fine. Once I was a young girl chasing after my sister's coattails. And my older sister's name was Kirika." Madoka looked down at her folded hands. "If you want to understand, Hitoka, you needed to know Kirika. Maybe you won't believe me after everything; but, from the earliest I can remember, Kirika was _fun. _She was cheerful and clever. The kind of girl that never met a trouble she couldn't smile and laugh her way out of even when, more often than not, she's the one who caused it. She was just so….so _alive _it was impossible not to love her." She gave a quiet smile. "As a sister, I always thought she was such a tough act to follow. Kirika the prankster while I was stuck as the boring, old rule keeper. Following behind her was like following the sun."

"She….," Yachi swallowed, remembering one of the very first things Rezei had ever told her about her aunt, "she wasn't powerful though, right? Not with magic."

_Like me? She was great even is she was like me?_

Madoka looked up, frowning in surprise even as she nodded.

"No, not so much with magic," Madoka said. "Kirika always focused on skill. She liked to surprise her opponents. Lead them to just where she wanted them to be and then….," she trailed off. "Maybe...maybe that should have been our first hint."

"What do you mean," Yachi asked.

"I'm getting ahead of myself," Madoka continued. "Your father had known both Kirika and I for our entire lives, pulled together by a thousand and one functions for the future heirs of the Wizamagot. Kirika and Naoki….," she shook her head, expression too complicated for Yachi to make sense of, "they were always so close. Thick as thieves, best friends, I don't know how many times I pulled them out of trouble only to find them right back in the middle of it."

"And Sometimes….sometimes I was even so, so _jealous," _Madoka admitted haltingly. "I was so jealous that it seemed like my husband and my sister understood each other even better than I could. And then-"

Madoka looked down, closing her eyes and taking a single shuddering breath.

"People change, Hitoka, even….even when you don't realize it." Madoka kept her eyes closed tightly. "The war started. It was….it was always there, throughout our childhoods even; but, it used to just be whispers. A few stories about secret meetings, students teasing each other in the halls. The Ghosts….they almost seemed more like a fairy tale, like a late night story rather than something that actually existed in the day. And then, the war happened and everything….everything got so much more difficult." Madoka opened her eyes, still staring at the floor. "We all had our parts to play. I've never liked fighting, Hitoka, I always thought there were better solutions. The Aurors office was overworked and I had just passed the bar. I signed up to be a Ministry clerk. I thought that maybe...maybe I could just hide out there, making sure that when the Ghosts got behind bars, they'd stay there and it would all be okay."

"Your father….," Madoka smiled. "Naoki never knew how to sit still a day in his life. Neither did Kirika. Of course, they'd throw themselves into Auror work. Of course, they'd try to go straight to the front lines. To the most dangerous missions, almost suicidal risks and always both of them right there in front of it. I remember being so _mad _at them. I accused them of being reckless and foolish. I swore they were going to get themselves killed while I was left behind with my books. Just like when we were kids." She breathed out. "And, then, everything changed."

"What happened," Yachi asked.

"_You_ did," Madoka said, eyes going soft as she looked at her daughter. "I was pregnant and then, you were born and….I swear it was the best day of all of our lives."

Yachi felt her throat go tight and she couldn't speak.

She didn't…..she didn't believe….

"We all loved you," Madoka said clearly. "Obviously, we named Kirika as your godmother, it wasn't even a consideration. She looked at you as if you were the sun and the stars. So did your father."

Madoka's expression stuttered suddenly, happiness bleeding out to leave something hollow in its place.

"Love changes people, Hitoka." Madoka looked back at her hands. "It pushes them, shows the true colors, and sometimes….they turn out to be not the people you thought they were."

Yachi frowned, wondering where her mother was going.

Madoka paused, eyes going distant. "Kirika started acting strange. Or I suppose, more accurately, we started to see it. That was all at first. We barely even noticed. You'd just been born and the war was still going on. We didn't think anything about it."

"What are you talking about," Yachi asked, her heart beating faster without knowing why.

"It was just little things, really, that was how it started," she continued. "She started….it was always about worry for you. She told me we were being too careless. That we weren't thinking of your future. Weren't thinking of the risks we were taking. I tried to ignore it at first but….

"Her and Naoki started arguing. Terrible arguments, loud enough that I had to take you to the Ministry office sometimes just so you could get some sleep. And then….," Madoka looked down at her hands again, "there was the big argument. Kirika told Naoki that he was following the wrong side and Naoki, he said….he said that she sounded like a _Ghost._"

Madoka's hands had gone bone white. "She left. Kirika left."

"W-what," Yachi frowned, staring at her mother. "Mom, what are you saying? Of course, she didn't leave, she….she…."

_She saved me, _Yachi wanted to say. _She saved me from the Ghosts. That's what Rezei said. She loved me so she saved me._

"And then, the Giant died in a duel," Madoka said and a tear started to roll down her face, her voice going stained, "and then the Battle of Spinner's End and the war ended and…..Hitoka, we were so….we were so happy that you didn't have to live with that. That somehow, some way, it was finally over and we _survived _and we could build a better future for you."

Tears were rolling freely down Madoka's face and Yachi….Yachi had never seen her mother cry before.

"I had to work late," Madoka said, voice hitching. "I had to work late so I left you alone with your father. We didn't….we didn't know….we didn't think….the war made everything so complicated and Kirika _never _did things in the obvious way. She always liked to surprise and we should have…._I _should've known."

"_Mom_," Yachi said, heart beating hard in her chest, "what are you saying?"

"When I got back home, she had already killed him."

Yachi stared, frozen solid with veins on fire.

"I'm sorry, Hitoka," Madoka said, not bothering to stop the tears. "I should have realized. I should have known. She was my sister and I didn't-"

"_You're lying_," Yachi yelled.

Madoka startled, looking up.

"You're lying! You're always lying! Quit lying!" Yachi shouted. "Ghosts killed my father! Aunt Kirika-she _saved _me! She died for me! Stop lying!"

Madoka stared. "Hitoka….who…..

"Aunt Kirika wouldn't-," Yachi shook her head, "she didn't-he said-"

"Hitoka!" Madoka caught her shoulders, holding her steady.

"You said-," Yachi yelled at her. "You said _Ghosts _killed my father! That's what everyone always-"

"Hitoka," Madoka said, voice breaking through the ringing in Yachi's ears, " you said you knew. Hitoka, Kirika was a Ghost. She was a double agent for the Giant. She always was. That's why she and Naoki always survived their missions."

"You're lying," Yachi insisted pitifully even as her mother pulls her into her chest. "You're _lying! _Why are you lying? She wouldn't-"

"She did," Madoka whispered into Yachi's hair. "I'm so sorry, Hitoka. You have no idea how sorry I am. We didn't know. I swear Naoki and I never even suspected."

"Why would she-," Yachi sucked in a breath, "_why?"_

"Kirika never worked in obvious ways," Madoka said. "For her, it made sense. The Giant was already winning, everyone thought it was just a matter of time. She knew we wouldn't change sides so she worked in less obvious ways. She'd stay by your father's side to keep him from being killed. She'd give information to the Giant. And, then, when the Giant won, she expected us to just give in and she'd already be in a position of power."

"But, then the Giant lost and her plan wouldn't work anymore," Madoka said quietly. "So, she adapted even if it meant….even if…."

"But, she was his friend and she...she betrayed him," Yachi cried. "She was….she was his friend! She wouldn't-"

"I know, I know, sweetheart," Madoka said, soothing the words into her hair. "I know. You wanted to know why I didn't have an announcement in the paper? Because I couldn't bare to see it. I was too ashamed. She was my sister and I didn't know."

Yachi didn't understand. She couldn't understand.

Why? How? It didn't….it didn't make sense.

"You told me they died," Yachi sobbed into her mother's chest. "You told me the Ghosts killed both of them!"

Madoka's hands gripped on her back. "They might as well have. Hitoka, dead or in Azkaban, I swore I would _never _let you see her again."

Yachi's breath hitched, looking up at her mother with tears still clinging to her lashes.

"Aunt Kirika…..," she paused, "she's still alive?"

A flash of something painful crossed her mother's face as she leaned in to wipe Yachi's tears anyway.

"No, Hitoka, not anymore," Madoka said quietly. "That's what the Aurors came to tell me this summer. She died in her cell."

Yachi stopped.

Her tears were fading away as thoughts started swirling around in her mind.

Madoka frowned. "Hitoka, who….who told you about your Aunt Kirika?"

Yachi didn't answer, words drying like sandpaper in her throat.

Here was a truth. Yachi lived her life as a shadow.

Here was another truth. Shadows are always in the places that people don't see.

That had always been her strength.

And, right now, quiet words and kind smiles were echoing through Yachi's mind and clicking together to form a jagged twisted picture.

_Rezei._

Yachi stood, legs shaking under her. "I need to go!"

"Hitoka," Madoka said, looking baffled.

But, Yachi was already gone, heart beating in her ribs and a pressing awful feeling that she was already too late.

ooooooo

Noya knew he had never been one for deep thoughts.

He wasn't stupid, that wasn't what he meant. What he meant was the quiet moment, the thick and heavy ones, where memories and fears inched their way through in low rolling waves. Noya hated those moments. He'd rather be moving, doing _anything _rather than being stuck in his own head.

He was stuck now. A thousand and one tiny moments of Asahi's smiles, of his laughs, of the gentle way he held onto Noya were caught in his head, running through on repeat as he tried to find the signs. Tried to find the chinks in the moments that could've given him warning, a handhold so maybe Noya didn't fall as quick and as deep as he did.

He couldn't find anything.

Even in his memories, Asahi was still kind, nervous Asahi and, for the first time, Noya _hated _it. Felt every one of those gentle moments _burn_ in his mind because he didn't understand how….why….

Noya….Noya wanted to talk to Asahi.

Around him, the forest shivered in a wave of black smoke before collapsing back in a single form.

Noya looked up to not at all startled to see Asahi's face, looking down at him quizzically as if asking why he was still here.

Noya sighed. "Because I'm waiting."

Despite everything, Noya knew how to take his time.

In the light of the fading sun and the rising moon, Noya's heart beat faster as the boggarts kept hold of Asahi's form-for once, as much of a fear as a comfort for Noya.

"You're getting better at choosing between forms, you know," Noya said gently, purposefully projecting a picture in his mind.

The form of Asahi faded into black mist, reforming until the serpentine form of an Ashwinder scooted forward to wrap itself around Noya's forearm.

Noya scratched the backs of all three heads.

The boggarts hissed in pleasure, tongues sticking out to lick at Noya's fingers, and for a second, Noya truly couldn't understand how anyone could find them monstrous.

"Want to know a secret," Noya whispered and they tilted their heads, reacting to the sound if not the words. "I don't believe in monsters."

Unbidden, his eyes glanced to where the moon had not yet risen and a secret burned in his throat.

"I never have," he finished.

But, Asahi did.

Asahi could look at werewolf, a _human _just cursed, and see a monster, could see something dangerous, and it _hurt…._it _hurt _because Noya never thought that Asahi's fear could be turned into that sharp of a weapon and the very idea felt like poison.

"I need to talk to him," Noya said blankly.

He had no idea what he was feeling most clearly, the kind of fear he was projecting; but, suddenly, the boggarts shifted again-scales melting away to form bristling fur.

A giant dog, black fur matted and ragged with possibly dried blood, growled at Noya, thick and deep in a way that showed sharp, yellowing teeth.

Noya blinked. Because if there was one thing he'd never been scared of it was _dogs._

"What is it, guys?"

And, then, the boggarts took off in a run, heading straight into the thick of the forest, only pausing to turn back and make sure Noya was looking.

On another day, Noya might have smiled. "Alright, I'm coming."

He trailed the boggarts into the depth of the forest, the woods going quiet around them as the animals hid at the distinctive smell of a predator and the boy dumb enough to follow.

He followed until finally they came across broken, patched up walls, the grey paint peeling off the sides with thick claw marks dug into the wood. The wind whistled through the cracks in a way that sounded like screaming.

Noya felt his heart beat faster.

_The Shrieking Shack._

Noya twisted his head, turning back to the boggarts. "Why'd you take me here?"

But the boggarts weren't looking at him, instead making a low whine in the back of their still canine throat before they burst apart into a herd of spiders, scattering back into the dark of the forest.

Noya let them go, watching in confusion, before he turned back to the house.

He crouched down, running his fingers to feel the groves of the claw marks-gently, almost cautiously, as if his touch could wipe them away although they looked as if they'd been here for decades.

There was a painful clench of grief coiled low in his stomach, always mixed with the tinges of anger even as it was old enough to feel familiar.

"_N-Noya?"_

Noya twisted up, heart beating hard in his chest because he _knew _that voice.

Asahi stared back at him with wide eyes.

"What are you doing here," Noya spluttered out before he could help himself.

Because Asahi _was _here. Here at the Shrieking Shack where….where….

Noya didn't want him here. Not now, not with the feel of old claw marks still echoing against Noya's fingertips.

"You shouldn't be here," Noya yelled and Asahi flinched.

Noya always hated it when Asahi flinched.

"I...," Asahi's eyes tilted back to the forest before flickering up to the sky. He shuddered out a breath, turning back to Noya. "I just wanted to take a walk."

Asahi always liked walking when there was something. Noya knew that. Because Noya knews Asahi. Because Noya knew-

"_Here," _Noya shouted incredulously.

Asahi wasn't even looking at him, eyes gone back to the sky.

"Noya, you need to go," Asahi whispered.

Noya blinked. "What?"

"_Go_," Asahi ordered, eyes snapping to Noya.

"NO," Noya yelled, hands clenched and eyes stinging. "What's wrong with you?! You can't-"

Asahi strode forward, large hand wrapping around Noya's arm and tugging him back to the woods. "Noya, _please-"_

Noya twisted around, years of Quidditch reflexes to dart out of Asahi's hold.

"_No_," Noya repeated, shoving his hands hard into Asahi's chest, enough to knock the larger boy off balance. For the second time in a day, Asahi tipped back, a small vial upending in his hands and shattering against the forest floor.

Asahi stared at the broken shards with something like horror.

"Noya," he said, breath hitching and _panicked, _"what did you do?"

"What did I do? What did you do? You-you _grabbed_ me," Noya stopped suddenly, the words catching and rewinding in his head.

"You-you grabbed me," Noya repeated numbly, looking down at his arm, tanned yet with the faintest hints of red rising up where Noya had jerked away. "Asahi…."

Because Asahi wasn't supposed to grab people. Definitely not Noya. Because Asahi was kind and gentle, always kind and gentle. He didn't shout. He didn't yell. He was soft and careful and so different from what people thought when they looked at the large, towering boy. People that weren't Noya. Because Noya knew him and he knew that….

Noya looked up into wide eyes and….

Oh.

Asahi was scared.

Noya hated it when Asahi was scared.

And all at once the anger collapsed out of Noya like a cut string, leaving regret and a numb kind of grief holding it up. Noya didn't want to fight with Asahi. He didn't want to see him scared, he didn't want to see him angry. That's not how he wanted things to be. But for them not to be, someone had to act first.

"I need to talk to you," Noya said quietly.

"Noya….," Asahi pleaded, voice breaking on the word. "You need to leave. Please, please, Noya, please _leave. _You don't understand-"

"I do," Noya interrupted, reaching out a hand only for Asahi to jerk away. "Asahi, I do, please listen! I need to explain-"

"_Noya,"_ Asahi begged. "_Leave!"_

And then, Asahi fell back, all but tripping over his feet in a rush to get further away from Noya. Noya followed, pushing forward as Asahi scrambled back, trying to get away.

"Noya," Asahi said, ragged and desperate. He hit against the wall behind him and sunk down, hands digging into his arms and curling into himself as if he believed Noya would hurt him.

Noya's chest _ached_.

Noya's next words were as soft as he could make them.

"I know you don't want to listen to me," he said. "But, I need you to hear this. I need you to understand. Okay, Asahi? And then….then I won't bother you again. I promise."

Asahi didn't look up. If Noya listened closely he could hear his breath growing more ragged almost like he was trying not to cry.

Noya swallowed down his reaction, looking away instead so he could continue. He never wanted Asahi to cry.

Instead, he looked at the wall, focusing on the claw marks, buried deep like a secret.

Noya was sick of keeping secrets.

"My uncle was a werewolf," Noya said and he felt Asahi still across from him. "Aunt Yuka's husband. He was a werewolf and they….they killed him for it."

Noya didn't look at Asahi, couldn't look. "It was when I was five. He and Aunt Yuka were supposed to be babysitting me. It was a full moon; but, it was fine. Uncle Michio always made sure he had wolfsbane so he'd be in control and he stayed in the basement so….," Noya swallowed, "we were safe. He'd never….he wouldn't _ever _hurt us. Believe me, Asahi, he was my favorite uncle, the nicest guy ever. He just…."

"The house got attacked," he continued, keeping his words short. "We think it was about my aunt. Something to scare her. She'd just started advising the Ministry and….I mean it was right after the war, you know? Things weren't….they still weren't that nice when it came to creature rights. Maybe it was some of the Ghosts remnants."

"Noya, please" Asahi interrupted and Noya couldn't...he _couldn't _look at him right now.

So, he kept looking at the claw marks. "It wasn't even anything big, just a few people throwing curses at the house. We called….we called the Aurors and got Uncle Michio out of the basement in case we had to run." Noya didn't look away. "Some of them got into the house, Uncle Michio tried to get in front of us-to defend us-and then...then, the Aurors got there, too."

Noya finally looked away from the claw marks. "We still don't really know who hit him. I mean, obviously, the attackers were trying to and the Aurors...the Aurors just saw a werewolf in front of us and….," Noya wiped at his cheeks, feeling them stinging and red. "It was just so _stupid, _Asahi. And he _died_ just because….just because people were scared! Just because they didn't understand! Because they didn't _try!_"

Noya took a breath, turning up to look at the sky.

Above them was a full moon, just starting to rise.

Noya really hated full moons.

Asahi let out a shuddering sound, somewhere between a gasp and a whine, and Noya closed his eyes.

"Anyway," he started, "I know you hate werewolves-"

"_NOYA!" _Asahi finally yelled, voice low and deep. Startling enough that Noya finally jerked his head towards him.

Asahi met his eyes and….this close, Noya could see how his pupils were pulsing in time with his heartbeat, soft brown burning into sickly yellow. The sleeves of the sweater he always fidgeted with-he always wore long sleeves? Why did he always wear them?-pushed up to show long straight scars that looked like….like….

Like claw marks.

Noya pulled back, hand slicing on a broken piece of glass vial.

He held up his hand, blood running down mixed with the distinctive scent of wolfsbane.

The full moon shone bright above them.

_Oh._

"I don't hate werewolves," Asahi said, voice ragged and breathing heavy. "I am one."

ooooooo

A/N:Again, I am so excited to post this chapter and finally give you some answers. Fun facts (because I'm a monster who loves to put spoilers in): Yachi's aunt (Kirika Uragiri) and her father's murder was referenced awhile ago by Suga in Shouyou Hinata and the Mirror of Erised, Chapter 14.

Asahi is also the only character who consistently in this series fiddles with his sleeves as a nervous gesture-it's to hide the scars. Looking back at Asahi's conversations with Daichi in this story may also take on a new light.

Also, for those keeping score at home, this marks the first prediction ("I know you don't want to listen to me" from Asahi and Noya's conversation) in Akaashi's dream at the beginning of Chapter 11. ALL parts of Akaashi's dream will make appearances throughout the story in major scenes.

Okay, now, I'm done. I'm legitimately just soooooo happy to post this chapter.

Next Chapter: Things Fall Apart Post Date: April 5th, but probably earlier


	19. Things Fall Apart

Kuroo came to with a throbbing head and surrounded by complete darkness.

_What…._ He blinked, trying to clear away the fog. _What happened?_

He patted along his wrist, hand reflexively checking to find his wand.

"_Lumos,"_ he muttered, wincing as his eyes finally focused to see…

A broom closet.

_Why am I in a broom closet?_

He closed his eyes and felt along his head. A bruise was already rising along his temple that he didn't remember getting.

_I shouldn't be in a broom closet; I should be-_

His eyes flew open.

_The meeting!_

His hand flew to the door knob, shaking it as he found it locked and warded. He slammed his fist along the wood and raised his wand.

"_BOMBARDA!"_

The door exploded out into splinters which Kuroo would worry about later, later after…

The sound of the clock tower echoed around him like the sound of a dying heartbeat.

He counted the hours, feeling it sink into his bones as he looked out to see the night sky around him.

He was late. More than late, he missed it.

He missed the meeting.

He….

There was no way he could explain around this. No way his father would accept an excuse. Not for something as big as this. Not this kind of embarrassment. His father wouldn't forgive this.

He'd force him to leave Hogwarts. To leave….everything.

And, for once, Kuroo didn't know of a single thing he could do to stop it.

He'd run out of time.

He stopped.

And, then, in a stroke of realization, he almost laughed.

What was being late if you had a time turner?

His hands dug down in his pocket, looking for cool metal only to find….

Nothing.

….._Nothing._

Kuroo threw off his outer dress robes, twisting them out and pulling at the pockets. No, it had to be here! It _had _to!

It wasn't.

With a cold, dead kind of understanding, he knew.

The time-turner was gone

Kuroo's legs gave out, falling to the hallway floor underneath the clocktower, and holding a hand to his rapidly beating heart.

Merlin, his father was going to kill him. If the Ministry didn't get to him first.

He'd lost a device that traveled through time.

_No, _Kuroo realized through the numbness, putting together a burst of red light, a throbbing head, and an abandoned broom closet. _Someone had taken it._

The time turner had been stolen.

And, suddenly, things had just become a whole lot worse.

ooooooo

Noya felt like the world had titled under his feet.

Asahi stared back at him, warm brown eyes starting to pulse with golden yellow.

And they looked….they looked _afraid. _Asahi looked like he was waiting for something terrible, a man beneath an executioner's blade.

_A werewolf, _Noya repeated to himself. _Asahi is a werewolf._

And suddenly, the world rushed back around him with sudden vividness, from the dark greens of the forest to the warm wind of the night and Noya's heart beat faster with pounding, breathtaking _relief._

Because Asahi was a werewolf. Because Asahi _didn't _hate werewolves.

Because Noya no longer felt like his life had been shattered apart, instead it had just grown larger, the flatness of a picture crumpling in inadequacy to the depth of reality.

Because Noya _understood._

"Why didn't you tell me," he asked softly.

"I didn't want you to be afraid," Asahi whispered back, voice straining with vocal chords pulled taught.

Noya shook his head. "I'm not afraid of you."

Asahi's next breath shuddered out of him. "And that's what scared me more."

Noya's chest clenched, a different kind of shattering-one that he was used to with every shy frown and nervous stutter, even if it was never this sharp.

His hand reached up, pressing against the fever hot skin of Asahi's cheek and keeping steady as Asahi tired to flinch away.

"You could never be a monster, Azumane" Noya said in a tone leaving no room for doubt.

Asahi froze against his hand, letting out a whine that's close to animalistic.

"_Noya,_" his hands were still clenched tightly, holding himself together. "I _told_ you some things you can't do anything about."

Noya wanted to argue more; but, the Asahi's next gasp sounded ragged and pained.

"Noya, you need to leave," Asahi said, voice barely steady. His eyes flickered up to the moon once and he shuddered. "We don't have much time."

The scent of spilled wolfsbane burned in Noya's nose and reluctantly he nodded.

He stood, hand finally pulled away from Asahi and he _hated _the way that Asahi seemed to relax at that.

"What about you," he asked hesitantly, "without the wolfsbane-"

"There's chains in the Shrieking Shack," Asahi interrupted, face twisting. "It's not….it's not the most comfortable; but, it's _safe. _I'll be-"

And, then, he froze.

"Someone's coming," he said, eyes fixed steadily on the woods behind them.

Noya frowned. "What? _Who_?"

"A predator," Asahi murmured back, the words sounding more reflexive than anything as yellow eyes didn't waver from their position. He stood, limbs still shaking under an unknown weight but a certain kind of steadiness in them regardless as he positioned himself between Noya and whatever was in the forest.

"Hide," he whispered to Noya and, for once, Noya felt too off balance to even think of questioning it, moving quickly to the part of the forest behind Asahi.

He crouched down behind bushes and a broken log, pulse beating fast in his ears; but, he didn't run.

Because when it came to magical creatures and magical beings, there wasn't much that existed in these woods that was more dangerous than a werewolf. Noya knew this and he was willing to bet Asahi knew it, too. So, the predator was not a creature, it was not an animal. It was something much worse.

The predator was human.

And Noya knew from experience that there was nothing more dangerous to a werewolf than a human being.

In the dark of the forest, he heard the rustling before the predator even came into view.

The crunch of dried leaves, sticks breaking-whoever was coming wasn't even trying to be quiet.

And why would they be quiet?

This deep into the forest, there was nothing here. Nothing but an old shack, tucked far away from the castle and rumored to be haunted.

Who would be out here except a soon to turn werewolf and a boy either foolish or brave enough to try to protect him.

The rising moon shone down on the shack, white like a floodlight finally illuminating the approaching figure.

"Well, hello, there," Professor Rezei said cheerfully.

"...P-professor?" Asahi's breath hitched, almost a growl against strained vocal chords, as his face twisted into confusion.

Rezei smiled. "Nice night, isn't it?"

"Professor, you need….you need to get out of here," Asahi said, eyes desperate even as he backed further away to the wall, hands raised up in defense or surrender. "_Please, _I'm-"

"Oh, rest assured, I know perfectly well what you are," Rezei soothed calmly even as he took a step closer. "I don't know if you know, but they make sure to tell all of the faculty about the specific needs of our students. Confidential, of course. Just so you have help if you need it." The professor eyed his student. "And I must admit, it does look like you're in need of some help. Anything I can do?"

Asahi stared at the man, face twisting-maybe shifting-as he tired to get back under control.

"W-wolfsbane," he finally managed, voice barely above a whisper, "i-it _broke_!"

Rezei made a sympathetic noise. "My, well that _does _make a difference, doesn't it?"

And, then, his smile grew.

"I knew I wouldn't get a better opportunity!" Rezei let out a high whistle. "Boys, come out now!"

There was another shift from the forest and, then, like a twist of light that soured the moonlight into something ghastly, Hinata and Kageyama emerged from the forest in unsteady moves, eyes like glass.

Rezei regarded them sadly before turning back to Asahi.

"I want you to know that I don't bear any of you ill will." He laughed, casual and easy in spite of how the world had gone cold. "You won't believe me and that's fine. If I was in your shoes, I'm sure I'd think the same. But, really, this isn't about _you _at all."

His wand flicked up. "_Incarcerous!"_

Ropes weaved out of the air like vipers, pulling at Asahi's limbs and forcing him to the ground. In the woods, Noya froze, his wand already in hand, but a single look from Asahi stopped him, _begged _him to wait.

"Don't worry, the spell won't hold long," Rezei said with bizarre gentleness. "Anyway, it's not about any of you at all. It's merely a question of nature." He turned back to the still forms of Hinata and Kageyama with the eager air of a favorite teacher. "I don't suppose you remember my lecture on acromantulas, do you? No? Well, it's a very simple lesson. Situational awareness, separation. You have to be aware of the situation to know what factors need to be taken out."

"Like you," he said, frowning at Hinata."Not just _you_, of course. The other muggleborns, too. Wizards and muggles should never have been allowed to mix. It's unnatural. It'll destroy both worlds unless we do something. But, that's a long term plan and frankly? Much, _much _more than someone can do in a year, even someone as entrepreneurial as me. But, _you_, Shouyou Hinata, you just got unlucky. You got close to someone I'm trying to protect." He smiled sadly. "And I'm afraid I just don't think you're a good influence for Hitoka."

He sighed. "I really wanted to do this in a simpler way. I've learned it's better for it to look like an accident. Easier to get over. None of that rage and bitterness that comes with murder. I didn't want that for her. She's suffered enough." His hand flickered almost dismissively at Kageyama and Asahi. "You two weren't even my concern, really. But, who am I to turn down the opportunity of getting rid of a halfbreed and a werewolf, too?"

Asahi let out a whine, voice finally moved too far from human words.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you," Rezei reassured. "I don't need to. We both know the Ministry's punishment on werewolves convicted of murder. Even tragic accidents like this!" Rezei rolled his eyes. "Barbaric, really. Who even has kill on sight orders anymore? But, I suppose that's what you get from centuries of blind prejudice. Rest assured, I'll tell anyone who will listen that I'm _sure _you didn't mean it. I'm not _cruel_; I wouldn't want them thinking the worst of you."

A growl echoed through Asahi's face, stuttering and breaking in the middle to sound incredibly _human._

Rezei looked at him with pity.

"Don't worry, dear boy." He turned his head up, looking to where the moon had almost reached its peak. "It will all be over soon."

Sitting hidden in the dark of the forest, Noya's heart beat like a wardrum marching blood to legs to freeze to move and a mind that couldn't find an answer.

Asahi met his eyes, gleaming yellow in the dark of the woods and he mouthed one word, silent in the stillness of the forest.

_Run._

So, Noya did the one thing he could do.

He ran, tearing through the forest, and hoping for something, _anything, _even as the moon beat down above him telling him he'd already run out of time.

ooooooo

_Too Late._

Yachi was running, soles of her shoes slapping down on hard castle stone and air burning in her lungs.

_Rezei._

A kind smile and warm words rose in Yachi's mind, comforting in the same way a fire is before it burned fingertips that came too close.

Because….how did he know?

How did he know what happened with her Aunt Kirika when even Yachi never knew the truth? Why did he tell her what he did? Why lie?

_Or...maybe it wasn't a lie._

That was the most terrifying option, chilling in a way that even her mother's silence had never hoped to be. Because Yachi was a smart girl, able to turn around puzzles in her head to find the different angles.

And...from a different angle, maybe Rezei's words weren't lies at all? The facts were still the same, just twisted and misconstrued to lie without ever being completely false.

That was the most terrifying because it meant that Rezei truly believed it.

Not just a comforting lie so Yachi could think her aunt a hero, not her mother's quiet so she wouldn't have to face hard truths.

No, if Rezei believed his words then that meant….

He was on the same side as Kirikia. And that meant….he was a Ghost.

She needed to find Hinata.

Castle stone gave way to the dirt and grass of the Quidditch field, shining under the moon and it was late, too late to be playing Quidditch but Yachi….

A small figure was crouched on the field, broom in hand, and Yachi felt relief flooding through before she made out the face.

"Nao?"

The first year looked up glumly. "Hey, Yachi."

"You're still here….," Yachi turned, frowning in the darkness as she tried to catch red hair. "Nao, where's Hinata? I thought you were playing Quidditch together? _Where is he?"_

Nao just sighed loudly. "We were _supposed _to! But Tanaka and Noya didn't pick me up! And after I cleaned their room for _a month! _I can't believe they forgot! Worst mentors ever!" He blinked up at Yachi. "When I got here, Hinata and Kageyama were already leaving."

"Leaving?" Her pulse pounded in her ears. "Nao, do you know _where_? It's important!"

Nao frowned, tensing under the force of Yachi's panic.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I think….I think I saw them head into the forest. I was going to call them; but, um, a professor was with them so I didn't want to bother them." He hesitated. "Yachi, is something….is something wrong?"

_Yes, _Yachi thought in a blank moment as a nightmare is fully realized. _Yes, something is very, very wrong._

And she needed help.

Yachi turned around and ran, back towards the castle even as Nao called out behind her.

Because Yachi didn't know what to do; but, she knew she needed to do something.

ooooooo

Kuroo didn't know how long he'd been sitting there, the wall cold behind him.

Not to be too vain, but, it was a rare instance where Kuroo found himself truly and utterly at a loss.

There was nothing he could do.

Nothing that could fix this.

He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there; but, he shifted to his feet anyway, legs numb beneath him.

He needed to find his father. Find the Ministry. _Tell them. _Because if someone stole the time turner, that was a far too terrible situation for more than just Kuroo.

He needed to….

But, for a second, he just leaned his head back against the stone, closing his eyes for just a moment more and letting himself believe that everything would turn out okay.

Then, he opened his eyes to face the nightmare.

The sound of running hit his ears before he could move and Kuroo jerked his head up to-

Kuroo blinked. "Yachi?"

The blonde girl jerked, feet skidding along the stone before Kuroo found his arms gripped hard enough to be painful, pushing him back into the wall.

"Kuroo!" Panicked eyes bored into his. "Thank Merlin! I need your help! It's Rezei! He's going to kill him! He's-"

"HELP!"

Another voice echoed through the hall, loud enough that Kuroo and Yachi both jumped.

Noya was panting and staggering with clothes torn and sticks stuck in his hair like he'd been running through the woods. He looked manic like he wasn't even seeing his surroundings just tearing through in desperation. "HELP! _PLEASE, PLEASE _HELP!

"Noya!" Yachi moved, letting go of Kuroo to reach out and steady Noya before he fell.

Kuroo stayed where he was, too frozen and confused to move.

"Noya, what is it," Yachi asked. "Is it Hinata? Did you see him or Kageyama-"

"It's _Rezei_," Noya choked out, eyes flickering to the sky. "It's _Rezei, _he's the one trying to kill Hinata! And he's going to use Asahi to do it! We need to hurry!"

"Asahi," Kuroo finally managed. "How is Rezei going to use _Asahi-_"

"Because Asahi's a werewolf!" Noya snapped out, far too terrified to worry about keeping secrets.

The full moon burned overhead and Noya didn't know how long-

"_Please,_" Noya begged, not even knowing who he was really addressing, "please don't let it happen. He's going to kill all of them! _Please-_"

Three things happened near simultaneously.

One. The clock struck with a loud, clanging gong that shook bones.

Two. A glint, barely a shimmer and hardly noticeable, stuck in the corner of Kuroo's eyes.

Three….

A wolf's howl broke through, pained and miserable, sweeping along the night air like a broken plea or an apology.

Silence fell after, thick with the death of sound.

"...we're too late," Noya whispered. "We're too late."

"We can't be," Yachi said and then, the stillness was broken as she yelled "We _can't _be! There has to be something we can do! Something _else-_"

"We can't," Noya was already shaking his head, eyes empty. "_Nothing _can get there in time. Not to stop a werewolf. We're too late, we're out of time."

Kuroo wasn't looking at them, eyes still drawn to that faint shimmer. He blinked and it was almost like nothing was there, just a tilt of his head and _there _like a shiver, an unmet line, slightly off, almost like….

He held up his wand. "_Revelio."_

A fading Disillusionment Charm.

A small folded up cloth dropped down from where it was hung near the wall, almost invisible unless you were standing by a certain piece of wall and looking at it just so. A nearly impossible coincidence.

Kuroo felt his heart beat faster in his chest.

He bent down to grab it, hands almost cautious as he unfolded it to find….

A note.

_Some things are more important._

Kuroo's breath caught in his chest, not for the words but for the writing.

He knew the writing well. After all, it was his own.

He knew it, and with that, he knew also what would be laying under the note.

His hands wrapped gently around fragile gold loops and delicate glass with even more precious sand-not stolen at all, just taken.

A hundred and one pieces flitted through his mind, arranging and then rearranging and finally coming together to form a path already formed and a choice, both made and undecided.

In the middle of it all, Kuroo came to a realization-one that, in hindsight, wasn't even a choice at all, simply a destination.

_Some things are more important._

A mix of emotions rose inside him from resignation to anger to doubt to hope to fear and, finally, to be pushed down hard into steady determination.

Kuroo knew what he needed to do.

"Actually," he said quietly, "I think time's the one thing we do have."


	20. Me, Myself, and I

Noya and Yachi both stared at him.

"That's a time-turner," Yachi said or possibly asked-her voice was quiet and hesitant, caught between cautious hope and a terrible fear of that same hope turning out to be wrong.

"It is," Kuroo answered.

Noya blinked, momentarily thrown off track from his previous desperation and finding himself unsure without it. "How do you have a time-turner?"

"Because the Ministry makes bad decisions," Kuroo said shortly. He tossed the time turner lightly, catching it decisively as the chain pooled down along his hands. "The point's this. We're out of time now; but, we don't have to be. We use the time-turner, go back, make a plan, get help, and no one has to die! Sound good?"

It didn't particularly take more convincing than that. Yachi and Noya both nodding, still too stunned to say anything else.

"Fantastic."

Before they had time to think, Kuroo grabbed their robes, pulling them in and throwing a chain around their necks in one swift movement before their world turned upside down.

The halls dissolved into a mess of colors and screeching movement, like the seconds before nausea and the inside of a rainbow had been mixed together by something beyond the corners of the world.

Noya and Yachi staggered as they hit the ground again even as Kuroo simply let out a breath, eyes still closed tight even as the world pulled back into focus.

Yachi could only stare, the windows around them lightened from the night sky to the warmer colors of sunset. The clock above them ticked onward even as the hands had been dragged backwards.

It felt impossible.

Too big of a jump for Yachi's mind to comprehend after the evening that she'd had-would have? Was having? Realization and fear chasing each other to end up at despair and horror only for the rug to be dragged back just as quick to end at….

Whatever she felt now.

Somehow, in the deep and ever sensible part of her mind that trudged on regardless of circumstances, Yachi came to the abrupt realization that she had been thrust into the spotlight. A strange realization as she thought she'd just come to understand the true value of being in the background.

Noya was less prone for deep thought

"What do we do," he demanded, already searching for a plan of action.

Kuroo's eyes finally opened. "We make a plan."

"We have a plan, don't we?" Noya cocked his head. "_Stop _Rezei! Asahi hasn't transformed yet; Rezei doesn't have Hinata and Kageyama yet! We stop him! We cut him off before he can even _think _about it."

"It's not that simple," Kuroo argued, tucking the time-turner back in his robes. "Time-turners don't _change _time! They can't. You can't change what's already happened-"

"But it _hasn't _happened yet!"

"It has," Kuroo said before he groaned. "Look, think about it like this. There's only one course of time. Once things happen, that's solid. They're _there_. A time-turner isn't like divination, it's not showing _possible _paths, it's just….letting you walk the same path at a different direction?"

Noya's face scrunched up. "Huh?"

"I don't even know!" Kuroo waved a hand. "The point is as far as the time turner goes, we're back in time because we were always back in time. There was always going to be two versions of us here. We can't _change _anything here because, well, it already happened."

Yachi and Noya both stared at him as Kuroo patted down his robes, sighing in relief as he pulled out a galleon.

"Then, what can we do," Yachi asked.

"Everything else." Kuroo pointed his wand at the galleon. "_Inquisitio Manipulus!"_

"What did you just do," Noya asked.

Kuroo ignored the question. "The most important rule is this. Whatever you do, _don't _interact with yourself. Don't even _try. _Terrible, terrible things happen when two of the same person see each other. Like going insane bad." He pauses for another second. "Also, try not to ruin the space time continuum. That would also not be great. Got it?"

"No!" Noya spluttered, eyes looking wild. "How in Merlin's name do you have something that could ruin _time_!"

"I told you the Ministry makes bad decisions." Kuroo smirked. "Much like this one! Step back against the wall, okay?"

"Why," Yachi asked, following a Kuroo ushered her and Noya behind a column

Kuroo glanced up at the clock. "Because it's almost time for a meeting."

"Wha-"

"_Shh!_"

No more than a few seconds later, there was the sounds of steps down the hall and a mess of unruly black hair came into view-very _familiar _unruly black hair.

Yachi's eyes widened, looking between Kuroo beside her and the figure just ahead of them before-

"_Stupefy!"_

A burst of red sparks and the figure in front of them hit the ground with a resounding "thunk".

Kuroo stepped forward, wand still held high. "Well, if this has taught me anything, I'm definitely working on my spatial awareness when this is all done."

"Did you just….," Noya came up beside him. "Did you just knock yourself unconscious?"

Kuroo winced. "Don't, it sounds even more dumb if you say it like that."

"Why did we knock yourself unconscious," Yachi asked. Noya was bent over, poking at the prone figure with his foot as if to check that yes, that really was a second Kuroo, laying unconscious on the floor.

"Quit kicking other-me, he's been through enough already," Kuroo ordered Noya crossly before turning to Yachi and continuing. "And because we need to rob him, obviously, which is a lot harder when people are awake."

He rifled through the old him's robes, pulling out a second or probably first time-turner and a slip of paper before looking up at Noya and Yachi.

"I don't suppose either of you have a scrap of fabric," he asked, eyeing the tears in Noya's cloak speculatively

Clearly deciding to leave the questions aside for now, Noya dutifully started ripping his robe and handing a piece over to Kuroo to wrap the pilfered time-turner in along with a hastily scribbled note.

Kuroo glanced up briefly to find Yachi, still watching him.

"It's like this," Kuroo said quietly, "I had a meeting with the Ministry tonight-or still have, I suppose. They were supposed to evaluate my use of the time turner. In other words," he nudged at the unconscious Kuroo, "if he had gone, they would've taken the time turner back after the evaluation and I wouldn't have had it when you and Noya found me later. And if I had the time-turner when I woke up, I would've definitely used it when I realized I missed the meeting. _That's _why we had to stop me now."

"But, what happens if you miss the meeting," Yachi asked.

Kuroo fixed on a smile. "Don't worry about it. Some things are more important."

He finished sealing the time-turner up in the fabric, levitating it and putting a Disillusionment Charm around the fabric.

"So, what do we do with, um, _you_," Noya questioned.

"Stuff him in a broom closet," Kuroo said brightly before pointing his wand down. "Here! Help me lift him!"

As one, both Noya and Kuroo levitated the body down the hall, Yachi clearing the way in front of them and holding open the broom closet that Kuroo pointed to until they got to the problem of how to get him through the doorway.

"Here just let me-," Kuroo gestured and Noya let his spell drop, the body hitting into Kuroo's arms with force, head whacking against the doorframe.

"Carefully!" Kuroo snapped, wincing and fighting the urge to hold his head just as the full weight dropped against him, collapsing both Kuroos into a heap of the floor.

"Oh….oh Merlin."

Three heads jerked up to two new figures standing at the end of the hall.

Suga met Kuroo's eyes, looking between him and the unconscious version still hanging in his arms. Beside him, Daichi stared, mouth hanging open.

Suga held up a galleon, still lit up a warm red. "I see why you called for help."

ooooooo

With furrowed brows and unblinking eyes, Bokuto crouched down by the unconscious Kuroo, looking at it in a way that made the still-very-much-conscious Kuroo's skin crawl.

"Bo," Kuroo said, fighting back a shiver, "could you….stop?"

"Huh?" Bokuto looked up, shaking his head as he did. "Oh, sorry…..just _weird, _you know? I feel like I have deja vu."

Suga nodded, grabbing Kuroo's arm and steering him away. "You probably shouldn't stand so close to, well, yourself."

"I knocked him unconscious and levitated him down a hall, I don't think standing close is going to do more damage," Kuroo muttered, but obligingly moved away just as the sound of footsteps pounded down the hall.

Oikawa skidded to a sudden stop, panting slightly and followed closely by Iwaizumi.

He lifted a brow when he saw the body. "Oh, please tell me he isn't dead." He turned, looking almost offended, to the still conscious Kuroo. "We saw you an hour ago! What in Merlin's name did you _do, _you're supposed to be at _a meeting_?!"

"Oikawa, this is serious," Suga said quietly and at that particular tone of voice, the humor faded quickly on Oikawa's face, leaving behind a sober expression.

"What happened," Oikawa asked.

Kuroo took a deep breath. "Rezei's going to try to kill Hinata and Kageyama. And he's going to use Asahi to do it."

Oikawa's face stuttered, going through a series of emotions as he tried to find words before Iwaizumi beat him to it.

"It's a full moon," Iwaizumi said, eyes wide. "Merlin, Asahi's-"

His jaw clicked shut tightly and Kuroo stared at him. "You _knew_?!"

"Know what," Oikawa asked

Iwaizumi ignored him, crossing his arms and frowning at Kuroo. "I've roomed with him for five years; not hard to figure out. How do _you _know?"

"_Know what," _Oikawa demanded again, impatient.

Kuroo sighed.

"Asahi's a werewolf and, unless we figure out how to stop him, Rezei's going to use him as a murder weapon."

ooooooo

"What?" Yamaguchi gaped even as they rushed down the hall, following Noya. "What? Asahi...he's..._what?_"

"Why didn't he tell us," Tsukishima asked and there was something else there, a touch more vulnerable under the demand before it was buried away.

Daichi didn't answer and Noya had said hardly anything at all, not since the two had tracked them down and dragged them off with only the bare bones of an explanation.

The silence that came after Tsukishima's question was marked with fear and doubt, soaking through the harsh breathing as they ran. The sense of frantic worry and dying hope thick enough to nearly be tangible even as the moon had only started to rise.

"We don't have time," Noya said finally, voice strained. "It doesn't matter. We can ask him tomorrow after-we'll ask him tomorrow."

Behind him, Ennoshita and Tanaka exchanged a look that contained an entire conversation based on the fact that Ennoshita was the sensible one that knew best how to handle things like reason and logic and Tanaka was the blunt one that knew best how to handle things like Noya and other illogical phenomenons.

The results of said look came after.

"What exactly can we do" Ennoshita asked. "How do we stop a werewolf?"

Noya tensed at the question, carefully cautioned implication that any way they went about this, that for tonight _Asahi _was just as dangerous to them as Rezei-if not more.

"Asahi would never_-_-"

"_Noya_," Tanaka finished.

And at the single word, the reckless fire behind Noya's eyes cooled fast enough that this absence looked bereft.

"I'm not sure," Noya admitted quietly.

"We need a plan," Daichi said as the six finally came to their destination: a familiar unused classroom, stuffed with a crowd of anxious faces.

Noya stared out at them, eyes drawing unerringly to where Yachi was looking back at him-Lev and Kenma waiting behind her-and to where Kuroo stood quiet at her side.

Yes, a plan was exactly what they needed.

ooooooo

Above them, the clock struck again as a reminder of how quickly even borrowed time could run out.

"That's not going to work," Kuroo said bluntly.

"Well, we don't know if it won't work," Ennoshita argued back, "if we cut Rezei off before he can make it to-"

"You're still thinking about it as if it's _changing _time. It isn't." Kuroo pointed at Noya. "He _saw _Rezei. We can't change that, that's what happens. Time turners don't change time!"

"Well, what can they bloody do," Tanaka snapped back, frustrated. "We're wasting time _talking_, when we should be saving Asahi!"

"The issue," Oikawa stepped forward, drawing attention like breathing, "is that we have _two_ problems. Fine, we can't stop Asahi from changing and we can't stop Rezei from leading them there. Putting aside catching Rezei, that makes problem one getting Hinata and Kageyama away from Asahi. Which means we need to find something that can stop a bloody _werewolf_!"

It wasn't subtle how most of the group's eyes flickered to the resident creature expert. Noya stayed quiet, a hunched over force of barely restrained energy only looking wilder from the way cuts and dirt still stained his clothing.

"Not stop," Tsukishima corrected in the quiet, "_contain. _We don't have to _stop _Asahi, we just need to lead him away, where he can't hurt anyone."

There was still that moment of incongruence, of _wrongness_, at forcing themselves to see _Asahi_-the quiet boy, who hunched in to not seem as big and flinched away at louder spells-as something dangerous, as a threat.

"So, a distraction," Suga said with a frown. "What would distract a werewolf?"

The group once again looked to the quiet corner.

"Noya," Daichi prodded quietly.

Noya flinched. "I don't know."

That wasn't quite true, his mind worked on reflex, still reciting facts and feelings and everything he learned in intensive study for over a decade.

He sighed. The clock ticked above him in clicks and echoes. _Too late. Too late. Too late._

"Werewolves work on instinct," he eventually said. "The wolfsbane pulls the human consciousness to the top, lets them process better; but without it….it's just instinct like every creature has. Hunt, eat, find safety, attack or retreat if threatened….."

He trailed off. There was another one there, one that whispered in the back of his mind, a fool's hope more than a plan, made from a child that loved his uncle.

Yamaguchi's head shot up. "Threatened! That's it! That's what we need to do! That's how we lead him away!"

"How do we threaten a werewolf," Bokuto asked, he paled. "I mean….not without-"

"We don't need to," Yamaguchi interrupted. "It's _fear_! Fear's a basic instinct! We need-"

"The boggarts," Tsukishima finished and Yamaguchi nodded rapidly. Tsukishima's head whipped to Noya. "Do boggarts work on other creatures?"

Noya frowned. "Yeah, I mean the fear's less detailed; but….yeah, they should."

"We use the boggarts," Yamaguchi said excitedly. "We can't stop Rezei from leading them there; but, we _can _wait for him to leave! We lead the boggart into place, wait until Rezei leaves, and then use them to get Asahi away long enough we can get Kageyama and Hinata out!"

The room stared at him.

"Can it work," Yachi asked bluntly, staring at Noya.

Hesitantly, Noya nodded.

"Then, we do it," Yachi stated as if it had already been decided. "I'll be there to get Kageyama and Hinata out."

No one dared argue with her. The clock kept ticking.

"We still have the second problem, we still have Rezei," Oikawa said. "As long as he's in play, he's a threat."

Kuroo looked down at his hands, a battered piece of parchment held carefully between his fingers.

_Some things are more important._

"He won't be," Kuroo said. "Not for long."

Iwaizumi frowned. "You have an idea."

"Even better," Kuroo smiled without feeling it, "I have a _meeting_. With some of the Ministry's top officials, actually. Be a shame if I missed it entirely."

"What are you going to do," Kenma asked, perceptive eyes and tightly drawn lips and, for a moment, Kuroo _hated _that he was here. The only one who understood the implications.

Because it meant, for a moment, Kuroo ached to be selfish.

_Some things are more important._

"Nothing I can't handle," Kuroo smirked, the words not quite a lie even though they felt like one. He let out a breath and turned to the rest of the group. "Don't worry, I'm sure I can piss them off enough to follow me. Then, we just need to get Rezei in place. We catch him red handed with half of the Ministry elite behind us."

Iwaizumi swore under his breath. "Merlin, we're really doing this, then?"

Kuroo looked to Noya who looked to Yachi.

Her lips firmed as she nodded. "We're doing this."

ooooooo

The moon was still rising as the clock ticked onward.

In a meeting room, a woman with perfectly done hair and perfectly tailored robes quietly thought about times that were far less perfect: about a husband that she knew and loved, about a sister that she didn't know and didn't want to love, and a daughter she knew she loved and was suddenly far less sure she actually knew.

In that same room, a man waited in anger for a son that was five minutes late, ten minutes late, twenty minutes late. He loved this son in a way that was indistinguishable from vanity. He did not know this son because he did not need to know. Neither of these things were likely to change.

In the forest, a teacher led two of his students deeper into the woods. People did not know this teacher. This teacher prefered it that way.

What that teacher did not know were the four boys that stood outside a meeting room, waiting for their friend to bring a meeting to a screeching halt. What the teacher did not know were the five students who were also in the woods, chasing nightmares to save a friend.

What the teacher did not know was the girl the teacher strived to protect. The teacher would never know this girl because the teacher would never understand.

This girl existed in duplicates.

This girl chased onto the Quidditch court, only to be confronted with a first-year boy and a terror she'd only just realized.

But, this was the past as much as the present.

This girl also crouched in the forest, huddled with three others, as a wolf who was a boy who was a wolf begged for abandonment to a boy he didn't mean to fall in love with.

This boy existed in duplicates.

This boy also crouched next to the girl. This boy was a thunderstorm, this boy was lightning and thunder and wind, this boy was an impossible present even existing in the past and caught in memories. Above all, this boy was human. And tonight, that was the most important.

There was another boy, too, that existed in duplicates.

This boy laid unconscious, stuffed in a closet, and chased by the pressures of a father that did not know him, of friends that loved him, and a boy he believed he could never hold. This boy was lost even if he did not know it yet.

This boy also stood outside a meeting door. This boy was strong even as he was lost and willing to give up what he loved the most for things that were more important.

Time is a strange thing, chasing and layering on top of each other. Hopelessly confusing and endlessly tangled even for its raven haired prophet, who laid for once unaware in the darkness of his room with his head feeling like it was splitting in two….two….two.

Time is a strange thing; but, sometimes it picks favorites.

A shadow of a girl, forced into the light.

A storm of a boy, achingly human.

And a lost boy, strong nonetheless.

For the night, time was on their side.

ooooooo

Hope you enjoyed, everyone!

Next Chapter: The Butterfly Effect


	21. The Butterfly Effect

The mud of the forest was cool against her knees as Yachi crouched. Her eyes were fixed on a broken down shack , sticking out like a splinter in the small valley of the forest.

She watched and she waited as a teacher, a man that had _helped _her, planned to kill her closest friends in possibly the vilest way she could think of.

The waiting was the worst part, it itched at her skin and gave her time to think which, for her, had always meant tracing down the hundreds of ways things could go wrong. It gave her time to doubt.

Echoing her thoughts, Kenma spoke first, keeping his voice low and quiet. "Are we sure this will work?"

"Of course, it will work," Lev hissed back, tone filled with the absolute confidence in his own ability that marked him for his House even if most thought him an unlikely choice.

Beside him, Noya took longer to speak. Around him was a mess of black that might look like a snake or maybe spiders or scorpions or possibly something even worse if it ever picked one of their fears to concentrate on. The idea sent shivers chasing along Yachi's neck that she tried not to let show on her face.

Noya patted the boggarts absently as they wove down his arm and around the map, still invisible for now and clenched tightly in his hand. "It'll work. Once Rezei leaves, he'll head back to the castle through the forest-it's the only way he knows to go."

Between the forest and the castle, hidden carefully, were Daichi, Ennoshita, Tanaka, Yamaguchi, and Tsukishima, ready to track Rezei as he made his way back to the castle to make sure he couldn't escape. At the edges of the forest waited Oikawa, Iwaizumi, Bokuto, and Suga, cornering Rezei in place until the Ministry could arrive.

Which only left…

"If Kuroo says he can get the Ministry to come, I believe him," Noya continued quietly. "There's a tunnel that connects the Shrieking Shack to the Whomping Willow; my uncle told me about it. Once the boggarts chase Asahi deeper in the forest and away from the castle, we use the tunnel to bring Hinata and Kageyama back through there to tell the Ministry. We'll catch Rezei red handed, no place to escape. Everything will work. We just need to wait for Rezei to leave."

"I know the plan," Kenma murmured back. "But, what happens if something goes-"

"Look!" Lev pointed urgently down at the shack below just in time for them to see the smaller figure of Noya stumble back from his hiding place before turning and running into the woods, heading for the castle.

The current version of Noya watched with a complicated expression as his past self tore through the trees, barely a few meters away from them, as they scrapped and ripped at his robes.

"We need to get closer," Yachi said, pulling him away.

The group crouched low through the forest as they crept closer to the shack, softly, carefully with the weight that a single wrong move could draw attention and attention was the _last _thing they needed.

Yachi felt her breath burn in her lungs with the tightness of how she held it and _oh, _it was so much worse closer.

It was so much worse with she could see the blankness in Hinata and Kageyama's face-unnatural, so very unnatural for them at anytime and it felt….so abruptly _cruel _to make anyone stand placidly in the face of their own deaths, much less people as alive as those two.

It was so much worse when she could see the tension in Asahi's shoulders, the pain which he held himself under to _not _move even as his body shifted and contorted under the force of something he couldn't control.

It was so much worse to see the casualness, the easiness, in Rezei's smile.

Yachi….

Abruptly, she realized she _hated _him.

She hated him worse than anything she'd ever known. She hated him with a strength she would never have thought possible, even hours ago learning the truth of her father's murder. She hated him with a force so big and powerful that she was shocked she could hold it in a single body.

In that moment, she promised herself that she would make him pay for this. Whatever happened, however this moment ended, Rezei would answer for the plans he made today. Yachi would make sure of it.

The only problem was…

Yachi stared as the moments stretched longer, as Asahi shifted with wheezing whines, and _no one moved._

She looked at the others and could tell from the wide eyes looking back at her that they'd all realized the same thing.

Rezei wasn't leaving.

ooooooo

The time turner glinted gold in Kuroo's hands like the shine of new opportunities, metal that radiated endless courses laid out in front with this gleaming piece of magic as the compass.

That was a lie.

Ostensibly, the Ministry had given him the time turner to observe the effect on a teenage mind; so, it seemed fitting that the one lesson Kuroo could say without a doubt he learned was the truth about time.

The truth was that time really was limitless, a myriad of endless choices. But, that truth was misleading. It wasn't _time _that set the path, it was the person handling it.

Even with a time turner laying in his hands, Kuroo was always only going to have one choice.

It was who he was.

_Some things are more important._

The meeting door was both the easiest and the hardest thing in the world to push open; but, Kuroo smirked widely as he did, a shield against the world.

In front of him was a layout of the most prominent figures the Ministry had to offer, all looking to various degrees disgruntled and irritated to be kept waiting for however long-Kuroo hadn't dared to check. All except…

Minister Masaru Daishou smiled benignly back at him, startling Kuroo enough that he almost stumbled. "Minister Daishou?"

"I hope you don't mind that I decided to tag along," Masaru asked easily as if anyone would really deny the Minister of Magic's presence at a meeting.

"I told you, Masaru, it's _fine,_" decreed the sharp voice of Den Miyanoshita, the Deputy Minister, "what is _less _fine is being forced to wait for over thirty minutes on what should have been a fairly perfunctory meeting with a teenager."

"Now, Den," Ozuro Kuroo cajoled, the pleasant tilt of his voice trying to match the Minister's before him and failing miserably to end as insipid.

Miyanoshita glared back at him.

Ozuro Kuroo cleared his throat and continued onward. "I told you my son is far too responsible to keep us waiting without reason. I'm sure he has an _excellent _excuse, don't you, Tetsuro?"

The last part held too much of a threat that one of the Unspeakables shifted uncomfortably, jostling Aoi Towada-the Head of the Beings Division- beside him.

"Actually, I do," Kuroo announced, "kind of in the process of stopping a murder or, well, several murders, really, that ran be a bit late. It's a bit of a long story and I frankly don't have time to explain it right now; but, the important part is that I need you all to come with me. _Now!_"

There was a beat where the room stared at him.

Kuroo glared impatiently. "I really wasn't kidding about that _now _part!"

"Ha," Ozuro let out an awkward laugh, "son, this isn't the time to joke-"

"What are you talking about," Madoka Yachi demanded, raising to her feet.

Kuroo met her eyes. "In roughly ten minutes, Professor Masao Rezei is planning to use a werewolf student to kill two third years. I need you to come with me so we can catch him before he tries to escape."

"Why would-what-_a werewolf_," Aoi Towada spluttered, "_how do you know that?!_"

Kuroo felt his heart beating against his lungs, painful and too fast like a ticking bomb.

"Because it's already happened," Kuroo held up the time turner, golden sand still glowing slightly to indicate recent use. He tossed it to one of the Unspeakables. "Because we saw him do it before we came back."

Miyanoshita frowned. "We?"

Beside her, Kuroo's father had stilled, looking at the sudden panic of the room before focusing on Kuroo, his expression going dark. Kuroo ignored him, feeling his nerves skitter as he did. A choice.

He realized a stuttered breath, looking at the room. "We need to leave-"

"This has been used recently," the Unspeakable observed clinically as she examined the time turner closely before her eyes widened as the rest of the words caught up. "You told _others _about the time turner! You let multiple people _use _it?! Do you have any idea-"

"Yes, I do," Kuroo snapped back, finally feeling well and truly done with this conversation. "I know _exactly _what I did! But, more importantly is that we don't have time to_-_"

"You reckless child," the Unspeakable continued, hands flapping around the time turner like it could explode at any second, "time isn't something to experiment on whenever you chose, you could've-"

"_PERICULUM!_"

A rush of red fireworks exploded out of the end of Kuroo's wand, echoing with a bang and a shower of sparks that deafened the room into stunned silence, all eyes flying to him.

"We don't have time for this," Kuroo stated, his voice pressing down against the room like a command. "Two students are about to be _killed_. Now, I know the Ministry isn't used to being fast on anything but, you need to follow me before their attempted murderer gets away."

A second ticked by before Masaru Daishou cleared his throat.

"Well," the Minister stood beside Kuroo, "it looks like a change of venue is in order. Shall we?"

ooooooo

He wasn't leaving.

The air in Noya's lung clung painfully in his chest.

He wasn't leaving.

Noya's hands clenched frozen around the map and he was sick, so unbearably sick of _not _moving. Of watching and waiting and aching and….

Rezei wasn't leaving.

And Noya should've known.

"_Why isn't he leaving,"_ Lev whispered, the fragility of the quiet not hiding how his voice shook.

Noya should've known.

"Because he doesn't have to," Noya said to the cold. "He's going to do it himself."

Noya should've realized. Who had ever needed an _excuse _to kill a werewolf?

Who would've questioned a professor if he said he had to-especially one like Rezei, who could pull on sympathy like a mask and shake out tears at the tragedy of being _just too late _for the others?

How could he not realize? Rezei liked things neat and tidy, like _accidents. _Letting a werewolf run free in the forest, even for a night, even after he'd already been used as a murder weapon, wasn't neat and tidy. Who better than a defense professor to have an excuse for wandering the woods at night? Who better than a defense professor to kill a werewolf?

Rezei never planned to _leave _the forest with anyone alive.

He planned to watch and clean up the mess when it was all over.

Yachi's hand gripped painfully on Noya's shoulder and Noya knew she'd realized it, too.

Noya looked over and met her eyes.

A weighted moment passed between them like a declaration, vibrant and clear in the wake of the chaos.

Rezei wasn't leaving. And if something didn't make him, they were about to watch three friends die.

Yachi released a breath and slowly stood up.

Lev caught her hand before she could, trying to pull her back down. "_What are you doing?! He'll see you!"_

"I know," Yachi's eyes briefly flickered back to Lev. "Stay hidden. I'll distract him, try to lead him away. You guys get Hinata and Kageyama away."

Kenma frowned. "He'll kill you."

The look on Yachi's face would've been a smile if it wasn't so terribly sharp.

"No," she said with certainty. "He won't."

Yachi stepped out of the shadows.

"Professor?"

And Rezei froze.

The easy smile finally slid off as his face paled with the first hint of fear.

"Hitoka?" Rezei didn't lower his wand from Asahi even as he turned to face Yachi. "No….you shouldn't be here. It's not _safe! _Hitoka, you need to leave!"

"You're trying to kill my friends," Yachi said, her eyes flickering to the still forms of Hinata and Kageyama before. Tears rolling quietly down her cheeks even as her voice didn't waver. She met his eyes. "How could you think I'd _leave?"_

"Oh, Hitoka," Rezei shook his head in pity. "I didn't want you to find out like this. I knew you wouldn't understand. Not yet. You're still so _young, _I didn't want you to be hurt anymore. All I ever wanted was to protect you."

He sighed. "These aren't _good _friends for you. I know you won't believe me yet; but, a _mudblood _like this will only hurt you in the long run. You need to keep them separate. Believe me," he looked rueful, "nothing can hurt you worse than having a friend you shouldn't."

Asahi let out a whine behind them, the sound far more animal than human. The transformation was shifting the last of his bones, instinct taking over as the werewolf pulled against the ropes holding him down.

He sounded _hurt _and it sank into Noya's bones like poison.

They didn't have much time.

"You're doing this to protect _me_?" Yachi demanded, fist clenched at her sides.

"Yes!" Rezei was tense, eyes flickering between Yachi and the werewolf. "Hitoka, you need to leave! Please, I can explain it later! You just have to trust me now! Don't you trust me? _Please, _Hitoka, I swear I'm only looking out for you!"

Yachi took a deep breath.

"...okay," she stared at him, "okay, you can explain it to me. Let's leave and you can explain it to me."

"Hitoka," Rezei's hand clenched around the wand. It shook slightly from where it was pointed at Asahi. "I can't leave yet. I need to take care of the werewolf, too. It doesn't do to leave a wild creature running free. _Later. _We'll talk later."

"Now," Yachi demanded. She looked briefly to Asahi, growling and pulling in earnest at the ropes around him. "There won't be a mess. There's no one else in the woods. You can come back later. After we talk."

Rezei frowned. "What about your friends?"

"I….," Yachi looked down. "I trust you."

She kept looking down. "Please, _please, _can we just leave? I don't want to be here."

Rezei's wand fell, turning as he finally smiled back at Yachi. "Okay, Hitoka, you're right. We can-"

A stick broke under Lev's foot.

Rezei's wand shot back up, this time at the forest. "Who's there!"

No one moved.

"Fine." Rezei waved his wand. "_Icendio Maxima!"_

Fire shot out at the forest where they hid and, with the speed of a Seeker, Noya shot to the side, knocking Kenma and Lev out of the way just as it hit over their heads, close enough to singe the hair on the back of Noya's neck.

"NO!" Yachi lept forward, grabbing Rezei's arm and knocking it away.

"Hitoka!" Rezei stared at her, surprise melting to disappointment. "Ah, I see! You wanted to lead me away."

His arm moved, knocking her back as he pointed it back at the forest.

He tsked. "Oh, Hitoka, I really wish you didn't make me do this. Believe it or not, I really hate killing children."

There was the sound of tearing, pulling every eye away from the forest, to the sight of a fully transformed werewolf finally ripping through ropes, gleaming yellow eyes pointed right at Rezei.

Asahi tilted back his head and growled, feeling the clearing with the overwhelming rush of _danger, predator, wolf._

Without hesitation, Rezei moved-wand pointing at Asahi. "_Avada-_"

A black mangy dog, ragged with dried blood, launched at Rezei, tearing at his arm even as it shifted into a black mass and reformed into a nest of black cobras.

Rezei swore, eyes wide even as he raised his arms to bat away the snakes. "_Ridiculous!_"

The boggarts were blasted back, a pained hiss as they lost their form in a giant black mass on the ground, landing right in front of the werewolf.

Asahi whined and the black mass shifted on instinct, reforming into blood and the pale skin of a corpse with orange hair, black hair, blonde hair…

The mangled form of Noya landed on the forest floor, eyes staring dead up into the sky.

Asahi _howled._

It was a desperate, pained sound, too much emotion for a wolf's throat, making the noise unnatural enough that it set hair standing on end, made the forest stand quiet.

Asahi reared back, running on four legs into the forest even as the body behind him re-shifted into a formless black.

Rezei swore again as the boggarts leapt at him, twisting back into a mass of spiders.

He knocked them away for only a second, before pausing momentarily to survey the scene from the murder weapon running wild to the black mass already working on reforming to the forest to the four students, wands still held in shocked grips but not _yet _pointing at him.

Above all, the teacher knew how to be a pragmatist.

"I'm sorry, Hitoka," he said and she met his eyes and knew a second before. "_Fumos!"_

Pale blue smoke filled the clearing, thick enough to choke on.

"No!" Yachi shouted, raising her wand. "_Vacuo!_"

The smoke thinned, clearing slowly to reveal what she already knew she'd see.

Rezei was gone, disappeared into the thick of the forest, the opposite way Asahi had just run.

Kenma frowned. "He's probably heading for the apparition border. He's planning to escape."

"Boggarts are gone, too," Lev observed.

"He's going to get away! We have to follow him," Yachi shouted. "We have to stop him before -"

"We….we have bigger problems," Noya said in shock, reaching for the map and pulling out his wand with shaking hands.

"Yes," Kenma said, reaching for Kageyama and Hinata, who were still staring out at the forest with eerily blank expressions. "Imperius is a terrible spell, especially the longer you're kept under it. Even being under it just an hour or so is dangerous. It's not natural to have your control taken, too long can cause mental damage."

Yachi's heart beat dangerously in her chest as she reached out to grab Hinata and Kageyama's hands. "Are they going to be okay?

Kenma observed them closely before nodding, giving a small smile in relief. "Yes, I believe so. Their eyes are already starting to react to light. It'll probably take a bit longer for the spell to fully wear off."

Beside them, Lev let out a shuddering breath. "So, it still worked out, right?"

"No."

The group looked over to see Noya staring hard at the map, his face gone blank white.

"No," he choked out hoarsely. "Asahi….Asahi just ran into the forest _towards _the castle." He looked up. "He's heading straight for everyone else, he's heading straight towards the _Ministry!_"

"But, they'll _kill _him," Yachi shouted, leaning in beside Noya to look at the map.

And, then, she saw a name and froze.

"Or he'll kill them," Lev said grimly.

"We have to stop him," Noya said, hands shaking. "Or stop _them! _They can't-they can't-not after everything-"

"We'll take Shouyou and Kageyama through the Whomping Willow path," Kenma said, "We can warn the Ministry. We can try to stop them, convince them to listen…."

_They wouldn't. _Noya knew they wouldn't.

If the Ministry heard about Asahi….and they _would _hear about Asahi, if not it meant leaving the entire castle unaware, the Crows unprotected, and Asahi would never forgive them for that. But when the Ministry heard, they wouldn't see a _student, _all they would see is a raging werewolf without wolfsbane.

They'd kill him on sight.

Merlin, it was going to happen again.

"No," Noya's hands kept shaking as he stood. "No, I'm not going to let them! Go tell the Ministry, I'll track Asahi on the map-"

He reached for the map only for Yachi to grab his wrist in a death grip.

"Noya," she said, voice blank, "this map….it's sometimes wrong, right? The map can make mistakes. It can lie?"

Noya frowned at her, still feeling his heart jittery in his chest. "The map doesn't lie."

Yachi's hand gripped impossibly tighter before she released him.

And then, she stood and Noya didn't recognize the look on her face as she met his eyes.

"Find Asahi and stop them from killing him," Yachi ordered before turning to Lev and Kenma. "Get Kageyama and Hinata to safety, warn Kuroo, try to stop the Ministry."

"Um, Yachi," Lev started.

Yachi was still looking at Noya.

"I'm going after Rezei," she stated.

ooooooo

"Well, where are they," one of the Unspeakabales snapped out. "You dragged us all the way out here, committed _grievous _not to mention _illegal _misuse of a powerful magical artifact. So, where's your werewolf?"

"He's being handled," Kuroo bit out, gritting his teeth together. "Don't worry about the werewolf, the real threat is Rezei."

Deputy Minister Miyanoshita looked at him in distaste. "Masao Rezei is a highly respected curse breaker that's worked in conjunction with the Ministry for a decade."

"And he's also an attempted murderer," Kuroo said back flatly. "I'd suggest the Ministry raise their standards; but, then again, the Ministry's never been particularly good at weeding out Ghosts, have they?"

Miyanoshita looked like she was about to growl before Madoka Yachi stepped forward, holding her back. She gave Kuroo a cool look, neither looking particularly friendly or unfriendly. "I believe it would be in your best interest to explain a bit more on why we're here."

Kuroo nodded stiffly, pointing his wand at the Whomping Willow and the Unspeakable that stood in front of it.

"Move," he ordered briefly and the Unspeakable scrambled out of the path in a way that was just a little bit satisfying. "_Petrificus Totalus!_"

White light broke out, striking the tree hard in its' trunk and stilling the branches in mid-swing.

Minister Masaru Daishou let out a low whistle. "That is some impressive control, young man."

Kuroo released a breath before turning back to the group. "Here's what I know. Roughly an hour ago, Professor Masao Rezei Imperiused two third years, Shouyou Hinata and Tobio Kageyama." He noted that Madoka started frowning at the names. "We think Rezei has been planning multiple failed attempts to kill Hinata throughout the year. This time, he's using a student, Azumane Asahi. Rezei led Hinata and Kageyama to Asahi when he was in the middle of transforming and stopped Asahi from being able to get away-he's planning to let a werewolf tear them apart."

"And you know this because you used the time-turner," Miyanoshita asked skeptically.

Kuroo smirked, pointed and sharp. "Sort of. I know this because fourth year, Yu Nishinoya was there and heard Rezei confess before he ran and got help. Luckily, he found _me_." He glares hard at the Unspeakable. "Somehow, I thought saving three people's lives was worth the risk."

The Unspeakable harrumphed. "That wasn't your decision to make."

Kuroo rolled his eyes. "Didn't see anyone else around. Sorry I didn't run it through a committee." He continued. "Another student realized Rezei was behind it at the same time. I'm not sure how, you'd have to ask her. Together, Nishinoya, Hitoka Yachi, and I used the time-turner."

"_Hitoka_," Madoka broke in. "My _daughter's _out there?"

Kuroo nodded, refusing to wince under the look Madoka was giving him. "She should be back soon. The plan is to wait for Rezei to leave, scare the werewolf further in the woods and away from the castle, and bring Hinata and Kageyama back through here."

He broke off to utter silence, the members of the Ministry staring at him in a mix of shock, anger, wariness, or a mix between the three. Masaru's face was unreadable.

His father stepped up beside him, keeping his voice low so that only Kuroo could hear. "I hope you know what you're doing, son."

"It was the only choice I had," Kuroo said back steadily.

Ozuro hummed, a precarious weight held in the balance of the words. "Choices always have consequences, Tetsuro, I will be interested in seeing how _your _choices play out for us tonight."

The wind blew, whistling through the night, casting an eerie feel as the frozen willow branches did not move along with it.

Kuroo waited, letting his heartbeat count the seconds before…

There was a hand, pushing up from a seemingly hidden passage right under the willow's roots, before a head was pushed through, resolving in the gloom to bright orange.

Hinata moaned as his eyes hit the light before Lev all but shoved him through the passage, dragging Kageyama along behind him.

Kuroo rushed forward, grabbing Hinata's arm and pulling him up as the younger wobbled unsteadily on his feet.

"What happened," Hinata croaked out before frowning, confused at the dryness of his voice.

Luckily, one of the Unspeakables decided to be useful and moved forward, hands gripping on Hinata's chin and lifting it to examine.

"Definitely signs of Imperius," the Unspeakable announced before focusing on Hinata. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"Um, Quidditch," Hinata blinked, checking with Kageyama, who looked just as confused as he was. "And then….I think we were talking to Professor Rezei?" His brows furrowed. "What….what happened?"

"It appears, Hinata" Madoka Yachi moved forward, looking at her daughter's friends, "you were the unfortunate subject of an attempted murder."

"Oh." Hinata frowned again. "Yeah, that happens sometimes."

Madoka looked at Kuroo. "Where's my daughter?"

Kuroo turned back to the passage, looking further in the dark and feeling something tight in his chest unwind as he saw familiar cat-like eyes blinking up at him from the dark.

….There was no one behind Kenma.

He stopped, suddenly feeling cold. "Where's Noya and Yachi?"

"Something went wrong," Lev admitted.

In a second, Madoka Yachi went from tensely quiet to a terrifying rush of motion, pushing forward to Lev.

"_Where's my daughter,"_ she demanded. "Where's _Hitoka?!"_

Lev flinched back. "She went after Rezei! He escaped into the forest and she said she had to!"

"She _what?!_" Madoka yelled, Hinata shoving in beside her with Kageyama behind.

"What do you mean," Hinata asked. "What happened?"

But, Kuroo had another realization. "Where's Noya?"

It was Kenma who met his eyes. "The plan went wrong. Asahi ran the wrong way. To the castle."

"_A rogue werewolf is heading to the castle," _shouted Aoi Towada. "We need to move! We need to stop-"

Lev moved in front of him. "NO! Stop! It's not his fault! Noya's going to stop him and the rest are already there!"

In the passage, Kenma winced.

"THERE ARE STUDENTS IN THE FOREST WITH A WEREWOLF," Miyanoshita demanded as Towada finally shoved Lev off.

"STOP!" Kuroo grabbed her arm. "He didn't do anything! He's-"

The same Unspeakable from earlier glared snidely. "A werewolf that can't control himself is a danger to all of us!"

Kuroo gritted his fist so hard his nails dug in and he raised his wand. "I'm not-"

"_Expelliarmus!_" Kuroo's wand flew through the air just before the second spell hit him in the chest and a cold feeling spread throughout. "_Petrificus Totalus!" _

His father smiled benignly, Kuroo's wand held lightly in his hand.

"Forgive my son, he's young enough that he still acts on instinct." Ozuro nodded, looking serious. "Of course, we understand that the Ministry has to make the best decisions."

"Wait," Lev pushed forward, only to be shoved away again with a wand held at his throat.

"Step aside, son," Towada stated. "We're doing this for your own safety."

And then, they were gone-decision made, if it could even be called a decision if there was no consideration placed behind it.

It was always going to go one way.

That was the lie about time.

The choices didn't matter. Only the person.

And the Ministry would never change.

Kuroo watched with a frozen movement as the members of the Ministry moved towards the forest, Masaru shooting him a pitying look as he went ahead anyway.

"_Finite,_" a soft voice whispered and Kuroo breathed just as Kenma bent down and handed him his wand.

"MERLIN'S SAGGING-THEY DIDN'T EVEN LISTEN!" Lev fumed, kicking wildly at the frozen tree before twisting back to the rest. "What are we going to do now?"

"I'm going after my daughter," stated Madoka Yachi, the only member of the Ministry that stayed behind. Her voice did not leave room to question. "She's chasing after a _murderer _alone. Of course, I'm going after her."

"I-we're coming with you," Hinata shoved forward unsteadily, pulling Kageyama along with him.

"Shouyou!" Kenma shouted. "_No. _You're still recovering from being Imperiused."

Hinata pursed his lips, swaying slightly on his feet. "But….it's what she'd do for us. It's what she _did _for us, I think."

"All you two will do is slow me down," Madoka said bluntly. "And Hitoka doesn't have time for that."

Hinata exchanged a look with Kageyama.

"Just…." Hinata swallowed. "Just bring her back safe, okay?"

Madoka nodded. "I will. I _promise_."

"Wait," Lev called. "What about the Ministry?"

Madoka paused, already heading to the passage. She sighed. "You can't stop the Ministry from doing what they want. All you can do is change what it is they believe they want."

"How does that help," Lev huffed but Madoka had already disappeared down into the Earth.

Kenma looked at Kuroo, a question hanging heavily in the silence.

A choice.

And maybe…..maybe the truth about time wasn't so much a lie.

Because, in a moment of perfect clarity, Kuroo saw two paths laid out in front of him.

One underneath a frozen tree, following a mother trying to save her daughter from chasing a murderer.

Another already heading towards the forest with a father Kuroo had never been able to convince about anything truly important.

This was important.

And Kuroo was so tired of feeling _lost._

So, Kuroo made a choice.

"I think I have an idea," he said.

ooooooo

The forest was a place of shadows.

Even more so with the moon shining bright overhead, twisting twigs into talons while burying its darker secrets close to its chest where they would never see the light of day.

That was fine, though.

Tonight was a night for shadows.

And Yachi had never been the only shadow hidden away.

Rezei wasn't being subtle in his run through the forest. He was too focused on escape, tearing through branches and trouncing through thickets, sparks from his wand cutting through them before they could slow him down.

Kenma had been right. He was heading for the apparition barrier and after that, he'd be _gone_-slipping away where no one would know to look, a shadow slipping back into night.

"_CARSUS!"_

Bright light struck through the forest, striking Rezei's back and knocking him down.

Yachi stood above him, wand held tightly.

The moon illuminated Rezei's face as he laughed.

"Clever girl," he said, smiling up at her. "Going to kill me, Hitoka?"

"You killed my father," said Yachi, her voice shaking slightly, but her wand hand quite steady. "_Revelio."_

Sandy brown hair melted away into grey spun with gold as the body below her shifted like a dead husk falling away. Staring back was a gaunt face, too pale skin stretched tight over bone and aged beyond her years to look almost unrecognizable. Even Yachi wouldn't have recognized the face if not for one thing….

Kirika Uragiri kept her smile. "Ah, my Hitoka, is _such _a clever girl. How did you find out?"

A map and a name that should be dead.

Yachi didn't let her wand shake even if it felt like the world was shifting around her. "Why?"

"Why what," her godmother asked. "Why did I try to kill your friends? I believe I already told you that. They aren't good for you, Hitoka. I wanted to keep you safe. Why am I here at Hogwarts? Because I'm afraid that's a longer-"

"Why did you kill me father," Yachi interrupted.

"Ah." And for the first time, Kirika's face twisted into a mask of regret. "Believe me, I wish I'd had a better option. Naoki could be a fool; but, the fool was still my best friend. If he had just _listened, _if he had been just an once less stubborn then maybe…."

Kirika shook her head and sighed. "Oh, but, Hitoka. For _you, _I'd give up everything-even my best friend."

Yachi felt like she was going to be sick just as she felt so very cold.

"You were wrong," she said quietly and she could feel tears falling now. "You were _wrong. _None of that was for me! It was only for what _you _wanted for me! It was all about _you! _You….you _killed _him!"

Yachi took a shuddering breath. "And I'll never forgive you for that. I'll _always _hate you. Do you understand? I hate you!"

Kirika nodded, not looking surprised. "I'm sure you feel like that now. Hitoka, you still have so much to learn." And then, she smiled. "And I can't wait to teach you!"

Kirika moved for her wand and Yachi shouted, picturing thick ropes in her mind.

"_INCARCEROUS!"_

There was a flash of light and thin ropes weaved out before disintegrating, subsumed by the darkness.

Kirika was already on her feet.

"I told you, Hitoka. Words matter." Kirika's wand was pointed at Yachi's throat. "And, unfortunately, _incarcerous _is a verb."

ooooooo

Once there was a boy who lived like a storm.

By the time Noya found Asahi, it was already too late. Everything was already in chaos. Flashes of light chased across the forest, hitting into treese and chasing away animals. The Crows were right in the thick of it, Suga, Oikawa, Bokuto, and Iwaizumi weaving in between them as the two groups were yelled at by the Ministry officials. All the while, a werewolf howled in the middle of it-flinching back and whining at the bright flashes and loud noises that kept hitting all around him.

Asahi was scared. And a scared animal was always at its most dangerous.

A scared predator would always attack.

In the middle of the chaos, Noya tried to breathe and struggled to catch his breath.

Storms are dangerous things. Perhaps most of all for the people who thrive in the middle of them. Because eventually, storms would blow everything away that couldn't hold on.

It was impossible to stop a storm.

And Noya couldn't catch his breath.

"Get out of the way," shouted a man that Noya recognized as Aoi Towada, Head of the Beings Division. "That's a rogue werewolf-a Division XXXXX beast, known wizard killers."

"His name's Asahi," Daichi bit back, dodging back just as Yamaguchi hit a simple stunning spell right in front of Asahi, causing him to rear back in a whine away from where he was trying to run in the direction of the castle.

"Look at that," Miyanoshita snapped out. "He's already trying to escape back to the castle, to _children_! How long do you think you can hold him off with light spells and simple charms!"

"As long as we have to." Iwaizumi said, wand raised not quite at the Ministry but clearly ready to move in a single second.

Beside him, Oikawa smiled in a way that wasn't pleasant. "I suppose you'd rather us just step aside and _let _you kill him?"

"Not if we don't have to." Towada glared. "We only kill creatures as a last resort! We'd try to stun him first."

Tsukishima laughed bitingly. "Of course."

A single second that's all it would take. And everyone in the forest knew it.

A single second for the Ministry to act too quickly, to forget things like _student_ and only see a werewolf. For a second of terror to swap a stunning spell to something more deadly.

Or….

A single second when Asahi felt too backed into a corner. When someone got too close and Asahi was _scared, _without wolfsbane, without control. And in chaos, it was so easy to confuse friend from foe.

Asahi would never forgive himself and Noya knew it.

Either option would kill Asahi.

Which meant Noya couldn't allow either to happen.

The forest was still a mess of shouting and flashes of light, of loud noises and chaos. The forest was a storm, long coming and now impossible to stop.

And, like always, Noya was the center of the storm.

But, storms made out of people are always so utterly human.

So, despite the chaos, Noya closed his eyes and finally was able to breathe.

He breathed in and thought about everything he knew, about creatures and beings, about animals and instincts, about a boggart transformed to his body, about theories he'd never tested but hoped for with his whole heart, about wolfsbane and prejudice, about how his uncle would smile at his aunt.

But, most of all, he thought about Asahi.

He thought about a kind boy with a gentle smile and large hands that healed Noya's bruises.

He thought about the ridiculousness of the thousands of reasons he'd fallen in love when really he only needed one.

_Reason #1: Because he's Asahi._

In the center of the storm, Noya smiled.

His heart beat fast and he held something precious.

He called to Tanaka. "Keep the Ministry away. I've got an idea!"

"What? Noya!" Tanaka eyes widened as if he had just realized that Noya was there.

Noya ignored him, already focused on Asahi-hunched over and trying to make himself smaller as his claws scrambled in the dirt below.

Noya took a step towards him.

"Noya, what are you doing," Ennoshita shouted at him, wand held tightly as if waiting to move when Asahi struck out. "_Noya! _STOP!"

At the yell, Asahi whined again, head tilting up and howling up at the moon.

"Shh," Noya ordered the rest of the group. "Don't yell and don't make sudden moves, you'll scare him."

"..._Noya,_" Daichi said, keeping his voice low but warning.

"Just trust me," Noya said and took another step closer. His eyes focused clearly on Asahi and he could feel in his bones the moment large yellow eyes focused intently on him.

"Just trust me," he whispered again, stepping closer.

There was only a few feet between them and the forest held still. Still, in the way a forest should never be unless something larger and more dangerous had already scared everything else off. Animals fleeing before the lightning had even hit.

Noya took another step closer, his foot misplaced and stepping on a twig in a _snap! _that echoed in the quiet.

Asahi growled at him, lips pulled back to reveal sharp, sharp teeth and somewhere Noya heard one of the Ministry officials yelp before they were quickly silenced.

Noya kept smiling at Asahi, keeping his voice low and careful. "Hey, it's okay. It's just me, you big scaredy cat. It's just me."

Asahi's lips pulled back, head tilting and the yellow eyes blinked in a way that almost looked…..confused.

A moment's hesitation.

Noya stepped closer.

He kept talking as he did so, soft soothing noises landing like the sound of falling rain.

"You know, Asahi, I have a theory," Noya continued, focusing on Asahi and not on the Ministry officials that lurked at the edges. "I've never told anybody about it before-not even Tanaka or Aunt Yuka. It's kind of a secret; but, I want to tell you now."

Noya moved closer, barely two steps away, and Asahi growled again-a low thing, a warning from a hurt creature to stay back.

Noya held up his hands and waited. "It starts with wolfsbane. Wolfsbane potion's a weird thing, right, Asahi? I mean it's kind of new so it's not like people have tested it much. But….the thing I keep thinking is….how does it work? If transformed werewolves are completely animals, nothing human about them, then how can wolfsbane still keep the human consciousness?"

Asahi stopped growling, letting out a small whine instead, and Noya put his hands down.

"So, that's the start of my theory," Noya said. "Here's the second part. Werewolves don't attack animaguses. Not any tests, of course, but at least a dozen examples. Doesn't matter what creature-rabbits, dogs, even rats-werewolves don't attack them even when wolves would." He paused, watching Asahi carefully and waiting for a sign. "Sometimes, they'll even play with them, treat them like pack."

Asahi's large eyes were still focused on him and Noya took a chance.

He stepped forward-less than an arm reach away from the werewolf's jaw-and finally he leaned down, crouching on the ground in front of Asahi.

He lowered his voice to a whisper because this part...this is just for Asahi.

"It was just a theory, though," he said quietly. "That's all. It makes sense. Werewolves have the same instincts as most creatures, yeah-hunt, eat, find safety. It makes sense they'd protect a pack, too. But, the real question…."

The yellow eyes of the wolf met the brown of a boy that smelled like lightning.

"...the real question is," Noya whispered, "if there was none of _you _still in there, then why did the boggarts show you my body?"

With that, Noya reached forward, extending a hand and gently, carefully because if there's one thing Noya knew it was that he'd wait forever for Asahi to be comfortable, but slowly….

Noya laid a hand on Asahi's head.

"I told you, Azumane," Noya said. "You could never be a monster."

It was impossible to stop a storm. Eventually, storms blew everything away, even the boy that lived inside them.

However, it was possible to hold things down. To sink down deep roots below them, bow around them and hold them tight, keep them steady, until not even the storm itself could blow them away.

Noya was a storm; but, above all, he was so achingly _human._

And if Noya was the storm, then Asahi had always been the roots to hold him steady.

Under Noya's hand, Asahi let out a whine that wasn't of pain, hackles dropping back down as he tilted his hand to push deeper into Noya's palm.

Noya grinned, moving his hand along Asahi's head in a soothing gesture. "I got you."

Around him, he could hear the Ministry start to shift.

Noya met Asahi's eyes

_Okay, _he thought with an ease he forced himself to feel. _Watch me, Asahi. Just focus on me. And I'll make everything okay._

And then, he stood up, placing himself in front of Asahi and turning to face the Ministry.

Aoi Towada was staring at him. "What did you just do?"

"I calmed him down," Noya said. "We're his _pack. _Even transformed, Asahi would never hurt us. Not unless _someone _was here, scarring him so he couldn't think."

"He shouldn't have that much control, not without wolfsbane." Towada frowned. "That's not how werewolves work."

"Well, apparently it is," Tsukishima drawled, condescension dripping from his tone. "Frankly, I'm astonished that the _Head of the Beings Division _is so tragically uninformed on werewolves' nature."

Towada glared, stepping forward towards Tsukishima at the same time Asahi let out a low warning growl.

Towada froze where he stood and Noya reached a hand back.

"Hey, it's okay," Noya patted Asahi's nose, ignoring the way one of the Unspeakables squeaked before being hit by Suga's Silencing Charm.

"Everything's alright," Noya told Asahi. "They're not going to hurt us."

The last part was directed to the Ministry officials, not a threat in tone but a threat in the way the Crows all had shifted to block off Asahi and Noya.

Asahi's growl slowly died down, laying his head on the forest floor while still revealing his teeth to the Ministry.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes. "Of all the times, _now_ he decides to grow a backbone."

"We can't…," Miyanoshita was frowning now, "we can't just _leave _a werewolf rogue in the forest, not this close to the castle, not this close to the students."

"Asahi's not going to hurt anyone," Yamaguchi spoke up. "_We'll _stay here with him all night, we'll make sure he doesn't leave the forest."

The moment was suspended in the darkness of the moon, stretched out on a wire, not yet away from the ledge but balancing precariously and a second away from falling either way.

And everyone there was lost on where the moment would fall.

Ozuro Kuroo stepped forward, raising his hands in a peaceful gesture that his oily expression would never match. "Now, everyone, I think we should just calm down and focus on what's best for everyone-"

"You're absolutely right, Dad."

From the dark, a boy stepped forward and made the choice for them.

Kuroo met his father's eyes, ignoring how they widened dramatically as the Ministry stared.

Kuroo ignored the later, coming up to rest a hand on his father's shoulder.

And then, he smiled. "And I for one, am so _glad_ my father gave me time to calm down and realize what he was truly trying to do. After all," Kuroo's smile widened, "the Kuroo family has always been major advocates for the fair treatment of werewolves."

He eyed his father carefully. "Why I can't believe that I even forgot how my father's championing the Werewolf Rights Act. Isn't that right, Dad?"

Ozuro swallowed, eyes meeting his son's before slowly he pasted a smile in return. "Of course."

Kuroo nodded before looking at the Ministry, his face a mask of regretful apology. "And, of course, I'd like to apologize to the Ministry, too. I'm not sure what came over me, honestly. Actually _believing _for even a second you'd attempt to kill a Hogwarts student. Well…."

He nodded to the Unspeakables. "I guess we finally know how much those time-turners can rattle a teenager's brain. _Clearly, _on my own, I would never think the Ministry would make such an unbelievably narrow minded decision."

Den Miyanoshita was watching him closely. "The Ministry would never put the Hogwarts' students at risk-"

"Of course not," Kuroo shook his head at the mere suggestion. "Which is why I'm so glad to hear my father bringing it back to the _real _problem we're facing."

Surprisingly, Masaru laughed. "Right you are, dear lad. I believe I know exactly where you-and your father, of course-are heading. Truly unacceptable, especially once the Daily Prophet hears about it."

Kuroo felt his shoulder's relax and, for a second, he could swear he saw the Minister pass him a wink.

"Minister," Miyanoshita said dryly. "As _entertaining _as the whole evening has been. If you could enlighten the rest of us on what we all seem to be missing?"

"Ah, but, I'm afraid this isn't my show," Masaru gestured to Kuroo. "If you will…."

Kuroo took the chance gladly.

There was a power that could only exist once everyone was lost, when a moment was thrown into the air with no one the wiser on where it would land. For it was moments like this that set the course, that gave the most powerful gift that time could grant.

Opportunity.

Kuroo might have been lost as well; but, time and living under his father had taught him how to use his strength.

"The real problem is what it always was," Kuroo said. "The problem that forced three students, myself included, into _misusing_ a time-turner-an incredible risk, as we all know. The problem that nearly killed two third years and almost used a fifth year in one of the most atrocious ways imaginable. That deprived a werewolf of his needed wolfsbane and set him loose on Hogwarts."

Kuroo made a choice.

"The problem," Kuroo said evenly, "is Masao Rezei, just like the problem was Sora Takara two years ago. The problem is how Hogwarts could ever hire someone like them in the first place."

ooooooo

"Clever girl. My clever, clever Hitoka," Kirika said, almost a sing-song. There was something new behind her eyes, or rather something hidden, a wilder edge to the happiness, a lingering remnant from a decade in Azkaban. "Always remember, Hitoka, the key to a duel isn't in _spells, _it's in _surprise_! That's the real power."

The wand poked gently against Yachi's throat, at odds with the very real threat.

"When you give up surprise, you've lost half the battle." Kirika laughed. "And here I thought it would be better to retreat. But, then…_._you've _surprised _me, Hitoka."

Yachi tried to draw in a breath. "You're not….not going to escape?"

Kirika clicked her tongue. "Even better, _we're _going to escape-together, just like we were always supposed to be."

Yachi felt cold. "I'm _not _going with you! I _never _would!"

"Hitoka….," her godmother sighed in what sounded like pity, "I don't believe you have a choice here."

And then, Kirika's eyes widened and she leaned in, that hint of madness sparking back like a glint in the darkness. "Oh, Hitoka, and there's someone you just have to meet. The smartest man I've ever seen, a _genius,_ still after all these years. He's been so busy but….," Kirika laughed again, the sound singing off the forest like bells. "I shouldn't say anything else. Not here. It should be a _surprise_!"

Before Hitoka could say anything, Kirika threw back her head and looked up at the moon.

"We should go," Kirika announced, wildness tucked back away. "The apparition border's not far from here. It shouldn't take long-"

"No," Yachi interrupted, the light shining down on her face. "I told you. I'm _never _going with you. You'd have to kill me first."

Kirika frowned. "I would never kill you, Hitoka. But, I do wish you'd given me a choice."

Yachi knew what was coming next. She knew it in the way her aunt's smile flattened and the wand held steady against Yachi's throat. Yachi knew what was coming next, but she wouldn't _let _it. She would fight with everything she had, everything she was.

Yachi was done hiding in the shadows.

Kirika met her eyes. "_Imper-_"

"_BOMBARDA!"_

A _BOOM! _shook the forest floor, knocking Kirika away in a blast of concussive force, whacking her against a tree with a solid thunk.

Madoka Yachi held up her wand and pointed it at her sister. "NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!"

Yachi's eyes widened. "Mom?"

Madoka moved forward, pushing Yachi protectively behind her.

She looked down at Kirika, her voice like ice. "You will never touch my family again."

Kirika stared before, suddenly, a violent laugh tore out of her throat.

"Ahh, Madoka, dear sister," Kirika grinned, blood running down her temple. "Where's my small little bookworm hiding behind her rule books?"

"You killed her when you killed Naoki," Madoka said bluntly. "How did you escape from Azkaban?"

Kirika's smile only grew. "_Shh, _it's a secret. You didn't really think you could keep me away forever. Did you, Madoka?"

"I _will _keep you away." Madoka's wand wavered with the force of her anger.. "You don't deserve to be anywhere close to Hitoka! Not after everything you've done! You will _never _be part of her life!"

"Oh, Madoka," Kirika relaxed as she leaned against the tree, "I already am."

The cutting jinx cut across the air without warning and only instinct allowed Madoka to throw up a shield in time.

Kirika was already up and moving, next spell flying through with another laugh.

"Madoka, Madoka," Kirika danced out of the way of another concussive jinx, blasting back a fire spell as easy as breathing. "I was the best duelist of the _decade. _Even after years away, do you really think you can beat me?"

Kirika moved in a way that was more creature than human, unnatural, twisting like shadows running away from the light. Madoka answered like the shock of a fire, strong unyielding blows that forced Kirika to dodge more often than she could fire back.

But, still, Yachi realized like a chill going down her spine-Kirika was _winning._

Madoka didn't look back as she pushed Yachi back into the woods. "Hitoka, run! Get away from here! As fast you can!"

Kirika laughed loudly. "Yes, run, run away! Tell me, Madoka, how long do you think you'll last before I can go and catch her? How long without a mother or a father there to protect her?"

Madoka's next jinx hit at the branch above Kirika's head, snapping it and forcing the witch to throw up a hastily done shield.

Madoka used the distraction to look back and meet Yachi's eyes.

The perfect hair was thrown into disarray, immaculate robes battered with cuts and dirt.

Madoka's eyes still shone with fire.

"Hitoka," her mother ordered. "_Run."_

"MOM!"

The hex hit against Madoka's back in a sparking wave of black energy and Madoka cried out as she fell forward, hitting the ground.

Yachi didn't think as she moved forward, throwing her arms out in front of her mother even as Kirika readied her next spell.

"Hitoka," Kirika's wand paused. "Get out of the way!"

"_No!_" Yachi glared. "You killed my father, I'm not letting you hurt my mother!"

Kirika sighed. "Hitoka-"

"KIRIKA!"

The forest froze as another figure stepped out from the darkness.

Yachi glanced up. She stopped breathing.

"N-no," Kirika stumbled back, wand jerking to the new figure. "NO! You're _dead! _I killed you! I _killed _you!"

Naoki Yachi shone under the moonlight like a vengeful ghost given form.

_Oh, _Yachi realized with a jolt. _Oh…_

"Kirika," the ghost of Naoki, pointing a finger at Kirika. "...Kirika, my friend."

"NO! No, no! You're dead, Naoki! You're supposed to be dead!" Kirika's wand was shaking. "_AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

"NAOKI!" Madoka yelled from the forest floor only for Yachi to jerk her back hard.

The green light was swallowed by Naoki's dark form as if it was never there as he continued to move forward to Kirika.

"How…," Madoka breathed out.

"It's not him," Yachi whispered back. "I promise it's not him."

Kirika's breathing was heavy and her wand shook as she faced her greatest fear.

"Kirika," Naoki continued to step forward.

"_BOMBARDA! INCENDIO! CRUCIO! SECTUMSEMPRA!_" Kirika fired off spell after spell even as they were absorbed easily by the form in front of her. "NO! GET BACK! GET AWAY FROM ME!"

Naoki was barely a step away and Yachi saw her chance.

"_Expelliarmus!" _

The shaking wand flew out of a badly held grip, arching through the forest clearing to land in Yachi's hands.

Kirika met her eyes with an unadulterated panic.

"KIRIKA," Naoki growled out, reaching out to grab at Kirika's hands

Kirika screamed, scrambling back.

"GET AWAY! GET AWAY!"

Kirika stared with large crazed eyes at the ghost of her murdered friend and her wand still held tightly in Yachi's grip.

Kirika ran, disappearing into the darkness of the forest.

"No," Yachi shouted, moving forward before a hand caught her shoulder.

"Don't," Madoka said quietly. "She's gone. Even if we could catch her, Kirika pushed into the corner is when she's at her most dangerous."

"But, she's going to get away," Yachi cried back. "Even...even after everything!"

Madoka's face went dark. "I know….But, she's not worth risking you. Nothing is worth risking you."

Yachi stared at her mother before finally letting her shoulder's drop, falling to the forest floor in complete exhaustion.

Her mother caught her in a hug, tight arms wrapping around and holding her steady.

The form of Naoki moved closer.

"Kirika," it said, more a question than a threat. As if it didn't even know what the word meant, just a sound an animal would make.

Madoka tensed around her. "If that's….if that's not Naoki, then what…"

"Oh." Yachi let out a breath, trying to pull a million scattered thoughts together as she looked at the form of her father.

Naoki dissolved into a mass of black, reforming as a three headed snake that slithered up Yachi's arm to hiss at her ear.

"Boggarts….," Yachi said quietly. "It's just the boggarts."

She pretended she didn't see the way her mother's face fell.

Instead, she looked into the forest, into the shadows where her godmother had disappeared.

The moon shone brightly above, beginning its descent to dissolve into morning.

The night was finally ending.

ooooooo

A/N: Thank you, everyone, for all your support! I really do appreciate all of you

Next Chapter: Morning

Post Date: May 1


	22. Morning

The faintest traces of sun shone above the tips of the trees, gracing the tired, exhausted faces that still huddled in the forest-both Ministry and students alike.

The energy of the previous night was finally dying down like a fire burned away into flickering coals.

Sitting propped up against a tree was Hitoka Yachi, wedged in tightly between Hinata and Kageyama, none of which looked eager to let the others go. Kenma and Lev sat beside them. Surrounded by them all, Yachi leaned against Hinata's shoulder and tried to close her eyes.

In the center of the clearing was a werewolf, the sun not yet high enough to turn him back into a boy. The creature ignored the Ministry officials still watching him closely for a single wrong move. Instead, the werewolf laid his head peacefully against a smaller boy's lap, letting him pet behind his ears and listening to the low surrounding murmurs of those he called pack.

Out of all of them, a group of four boys was still the most alert, eyes wary as they waited for their last member to return. Tetsuro Kuroo stood further away, arms crossed as he watched Madoka argue fiercely with the rest of the Ministry officials, his own father flickering between one or the other-whichever he thought would be more amenable at the time.

Kuroo rolled his eyes.

Bokuto stood up, dusting off his slacks as he wandered over to Kuroo.

"Hey," Kuroo greeted.

"Hey, hey," Bokuto said back.

He nodded to the Ministry group. "You think they'll wrap this up soon?"

"Bro, I hope so. It's almost breakfast." And then, Bokuto tilted his head-an odd expression passing over his face. "So, you chose the wolf over the butterfly, huh. That'll change things. Hope it's the right path."

Kuroo's head jerked around, staring at him. "_What?"_

Bokuto blinked. "Huh?"

"What did you just say," Kuroo asked.

Bokuto just looked confused. "I said I hope the Ministry finishes by breakfast"

"No, after with the….," Kuroo shook his head. "Nevermind."

Bokuto shrugged. "Long night."

"...Yeah."

A yell from Madoka cut them off before Bokuto could say anything else.

"DO YOU THINK I CAN'T RECOGNIZE MY OWN _SISTER?!_"

Towada paled. "Of course not, it's just-"

"We've _never _had a reported breakout from Azkaban," Miyanoshita interrupted, crossing her arms. "Never. The place is impenetrable. Not to mention the fact that Kirika Uragiri was reported dead months ago with a body as proof. _You _verified the photos."

"All matters which are apparently wrong," Madoka said through gritted teeth.

"Obviously, we believe you," Ozuro held up his hands in a soothing matter, "it's just, well, even your daughter admitted that the woman was clearly in bad shape-barely recognizable, in fact, and apparently insane. And, since the culprit escaped before we could question her and what with Azkaban having the reputation it does, do you think that maybe you may have been mistaken about…."

Ozuro cut off at Madoka's glare.

"Enough." Minister Masaru got in between them. "We've had enough of squabbling between ourselves tonight, so _enough._" He nodded towards Madoka. "The Ministry will conduct a full investigation of Kirika Uragiri's reported death and an assessment of Azkaban's security." He moved onto his Deputy Minister. "Further, we'll have the Unspeakables lead the investigation. You're right. Azkaban has a reputation as impenetrable. If the public found out there might have been a breakout-especially of one of the Giant's top spies-there would be a panic, definitely unsuitable for an investigation." Masaru's lips thin. "We'll keep it a covert operation for now. Find what evidence we can and, when the true culprit _is _apprehended, we release the information to the public."

Masaru sighed. "Until then, since we're still not sure what happened to the real Masao Rezei, certainly not enough to clear his name, we'll stick to the facts we know." Masaru took a deep breath and, for a second, the Minister looked _old. _"For the second time in three years, Hogwarts has hired a Defense teacher that attempted to murder students."

"The public won't be happy about that," Miyanoshita observed. "The Prophet will have a field day."

"Yes, I imagine that's true." He laid a hand on Miyanoshita's shoulder. "Don't worry, my dear Deputy, I have a few ideas that may work out."

Miyanoshita huffed but nodded and the Ministry gathering looked to finally lose some of its tension. Madoka nodded curtly to the Minister as she walked off in the direction of her daughter.

Masaru smiled before his eyes moved to Kuroo.

He ambled over to where Kuroo and Bokuto stood.

"I find I have to thank you again," Masaru said, looking to both of them. "Between this and that mess with Sora a couple years ago, it looks like I might have to hire you and your friends just to stop you from out showing us." He winked at Kuroo. "Still not interested in a Ministry job, I take it?"

Kuroo snorted. "Not in a million years."

"Drats," Masaru complained amicably before he turned to Bokuto. "Do you mind if I have a moment of your friend's time?"

Bokuto looked uncertainly to Kuroo, who nodded.

"Sure," Bokuto agreed.

Masaru waited for him to leave.

Finally, the Minister spoke in a low tone. "I don't think you understand exactly how much of a service you've done here tonight, son." Masaru tilted his head back, looking at the rising sun. "More than just preventing the Ministry from making a terrible mistake, I believe….even in just a small way….you've reminded everyone here of exactly the things that need to change.

Masaru met Kuroo's eyes. "And things _will _change, son, I can promise you that."

Kuroo didn't know what to say and luckily Masaru laughed before he could say anything, the mood lightening around them.

The Minister squeezed his shoulder. "I suppose we have to stop relying on you and your friends to catch Hogwarts' mistakes, don't we? Hopefully, in the future, I want you to know you can trust it to us."

"Of course, Minister," Kuroo replied, trying to keep himself from fidgeting at the unexpected attention.

"Thank you, Tetsuro." Masaru smiled. "I think you've given us exactly the push we need."

They both saw Ozuro approaching so Masaru patted Kuroo's shoulder one more time before releasing him.

He turned to Kuroo's father. "You have an impressive son, Ozuro. I believe all of us at the Ministry, myself included, look forward to seeing his future."

"Yes." Ozuro met his son's eyes and Kuroo's spine straightened. His father called up a smile for Masaru. "As am I, Minister."

The Minister nodded before walking away, leaving Kuroo alone with his father.

Father and son stood in silence, a test that finally Kuroo decided to break. "Dad?"

"Interesting tactics you displayed tonight, son," Ozuro said in a voice that gave away nothing. "And even more interesting choices."

Kuroo shifted, waiting for his father to say more before suddenly Asahi let out a whine and the whole clearing froze.

"He's about to change back," Noya announced

Everyone watched as the werewolf lifted off from Noya's lap, shaking his head and letting out another low whine before looking at the group with an unusually meek look for such a giant creature.

And then, the werewolf ran-fleeing deeper into the dark of the forest.

Noya hopped to his feet. "Asahi, where's he-"

"It's fine." Daichi let out a sigh. "He's probably just heading back to the Shrieking Shack. It's instinct, right?"

"Oh." Noya's expression cleared and then, he immediately started off in the direction Asahi had run.

Daichi caught his arm before he could go.

"Wait," Daichi ordered. "Let me talk to him first, explain what happened."

Noya frowned. "But-"

"Noya," Daichi met his eyes. "It's _Asahi. _If we all go, it'll just overwhelm him."

Noya held under Daichi's gaze, considering, for a long moment before finally his shoulders dropped and he nodded.

Daichi released his arm

"Don't worry…," Daichi gave a small smile, looking into the dark of the forest. "I think he's done running."

"Hold on," Towada called out as Daichi started walking, "we'll need his statement! Even if we're blaming the issue with the lack of wolfsbane on Rezei, we still have to have-"

"I'll tell him," Daichi said shortly and then pushed forward into the forest before anyone could say anything more.

The clearing fell silent again before Miyanoshita let out a long sigh, already glaring at Ozuro.

"I suppose there's no hope of you keeping this _quiet, _is there," she demanded.

Ozuro smirked back in a way that most of the people assembled recognized with eerie familiarity which at least half felt uncomfortable about.

"Why, my dear Den, _of course_, I'll keep quiet about the possible Azkaban breakout. Anything our Minister requires. And completely sound reasoning, not to mention. _No one _wants to deal with that mess if the public finds out. As for the rest….," Ozuro shrugged. "Well, with Hogwarts abysmal hiring practices getting out anyway, I personally think the people have a right to know about the near death of students. Not to mention, the complete _abuse _of one poor werewolf student."

Kuroo gritted his teeth, his mind already pulling up the sad, sympathetic news parade his father was no doubt already constructing.

Towada rolled his eyes. "And if it happens to help your bill push through…."

"Well, then, it obviously means the law was long overdue," Ozuro continued blithely. He moved ahead to the Crows. "I don't suppose your…._friend _has any experience with interviews?"

Noya glared back, hands rolling up into fists. "Asahi's not a stupid political tool!"

Ozuro pulled up a sympathetic mask, far too obviously saccharine to be real and Kuroo fought back the feeling of a paper cut.

"Of course not," Ozuro soothed. "And I'll make sure no one uses him like that. Tragic to be forced into the spotlight so young and so suddenly…."

"Asahi hates attention," Ennoshita said, stepping in front of Noya just in time for Tanaka to pull the smaller boy back. Ennoshita gave Ozuro a sharp smile. "_Sorry, _I doubt he'll be interested in interviews."

Ozuro made a small noise. "That's too bad. Are you _sure_? You'd think he'd be far more interested in helping others. What with his help, we'll probably be able to _expand _the bill. And what with his name being revealed anyway in the news coverage, I'm sure keeping it all a secret is off the table-"

"Ah, then it's a good thing his name won't be published!" A new voice entered the clearing right before an old witch with a sharp smile and the thick red scars of a faded curse mark running down her neck.

"Aunt Yuka!" Noya cried out, grinning.

Towada swore. "What in Merlin's name are _you _doing here, you witch?"

Yuka threw back her head and laughed. "Oh, Aoi, you dry old goat, surely you didn't think I'd miss my favorite nephew's Ministry hearing? It's not every day you hear a case for boggarts."

Towada scowled, glaring at Yuka before looking at Noya as if re-evaluating him as a coming plague.

"So, imagine my surprise when I get there and _no one _else has shown up-not even an ever punctual rule follower like you, Aoi. That's enough to make anyone suspicious." Yuka spun her wand in her fingers. "Figured I ought to check things out when a simple Point Me spell told me you were all in the forest."

Yuka turned on her heel, smiling daggers at Ozuro. "And I'm so glad I did. Especially after hearing your obviously sincere _concern, _Ozuro. How kind of you, always looking out for werewolves. Truly your sympathy knows no bounds."

Her last sentence skated dangerously dry enough to be sarcasm, not quite reaching the level where anyone could call her on it.

Ozuro smiled thinly. "Of course, I _am _the author of the Werewolf Rights Act. How could I not care, especially when the boy in question is so young, the same age as my own dear son."

"Quite," Yuka said shortly. "Never worry, Ozuro. As touching as your concern is, I can assure you that boy is completely safe from being thrown so callously into the spotlight. If I remember my statutes correctly, his name can't even be published. Why I doubt even the rest of Hogwarts can be told."

Ozuro's smile dropped. "What do you mean?"

Yuka caught Ozuro's dropped smile and threw it on her own face to grow even brighter. "Azumane Asahi's a minor. Surely you remember the law that expanded the same media protections to werewolf children? After all, you're the one who wrote it."

"Ah…..right." Ozuro recovered quick. "I appreciate you reminding me, Yuka. So glad I have someone like you working with me to remind me of all we've already accomplished."

"Of course," Yuka allowed the response smoothly. "Clever idea though about expanding the Werewolf Civil Rights Act. Yes, I'm sure it will be a bit more of a struggle without a name to point them at; but, best to strike while the iron's hot-especially now that I know you're fully committed, Ozuro." She eyed him carefully. "This can be a major win for werewolves everywhere if we play out cards right."

Ozuro's next smile had a bit more life in it. "We'll talk later."

"Yes," Yuka agreed before turning back to Noya, hands on her hips. "In the meantime, I want to hear exactly what kind of night my nephew had? Sounds like you started a lot of trouble."

Noya gave a small smile. "Yeah. But it was _your _kind of trouble."

Yuka laughed, reaching out to mess up his hair. "And that's why you're my favorite."

Aunt and nephew talked amicably while Ozuro moved back to his place beside his son, close to the rest but far enough away that Kuroo could feel every centimeter in the marrow of his bones.

"I believe we need to talk, Tetsuro," his father said, quiet enough that his voice didn't carry.

"Yes," Kuroo stated.

Ozuro sighed. "As far as the time turner assessment goes, it was a complete unmitigated disaster. I'll be working for a _decade _to repair our family's relationship with the Department of Mysteries."

"I'm not sorry," Kuroo said. "If you're waiting for an apology for messing up the stupid time turner assessment, you're not going to get one. Some things are more important."

"You disobeyed me," Ozuro continued. "No matter what the results, you blatantly and obviously disrespected the Ministry in ways that Miyanoshita and Towada will not forget soon. And don't tell me every snipe you made was _needed. _Don't tell me it was all done to save your friends."

Kuroo fought not to react.

His father met his eyes and abruptly Kuroo was reminded once again that his father could be strikingly perceptive in the most inconvenient of times.

"No," Ozuro continued, "you _gave up. _The minute you decided to choose your friends over your responsibility to me, you decided to be _reckless_-to go about it in a way you believed even I couldn't save your reputation from."

Ozuro hummed. "I'm curious. If that idea had actually worked, did you think _I _would have given up on you? That I'd be so mad I'd let you squander your life however you chose." His father shook his head. "Sixteen years of planning, laying the work for our family's entire future, and you think I'd have thrown it away in one night."

Kuroo's nails dug into his hands as he kept his voice even. "Dad, it's been a long night. I'm tired. Make your point already. Just tell me if I should start learning Russian or French for whatever school you're shipping me off to."

"So dramatic." Ozuro tsked.

Ozuro tilted his head, watching the clearing and the people still gathered around it.

"I've decided to keep you at Hogwarts," Ozuro said. "For now anyway."

Kuroo starred, he thought something light had started to trickle through his veins but he quickly pressed it down with a rush of suspicion. "What? Why?"

"Two reasons," his father said loftily. "First, because the circumstances have changed. Yes, I'm sure I could find some plausible excuse but taking you out of Hogwarts now, so soon after a scandal and one you were directly involved in, wouldn't look great for the public. It would look like _running away _and Kuroos never run."

"Second." Ozuro focused, sharp eyes drawing directly to Kuroo. "...Second, I wasn't lying. Choices do have consequences." His father sighed. "And, fortunately, it seems your choices last night have gained us more than it cost. If Yuka's throwing support behind the Werewolf Rights Act and looking to expand it, we can gain major ground with the Light families, especially since it seems the Tsukishima and Yamaguchi families can still be persuaded." Ozuro inclined his head to Masaru. "Plus, even though you may have alienated us from Miyanoshita and Towada, it looks like you've maneuvered us closer to the Minister and _that's_ a very good place to be."

Kuroo continued to stare.

"Don't act so surprised, son," Ozuro commented. "I didn't get where I am today without taking risks. It seems only fitting I reward when your risks play out…."

Kuroo swallowed or at least he tried to, his mouth felt too dry all of the sudden and the words were catching in his throat. "Thank you."

"I hope you've learned something, Tetsuro." Ozuro waved a hand. "Pointless rebellion will get you nowhere. But, your later plan, how you came up with a strategy to control both groups….genius, even when you did decide to use it against me."

In the clearing, the Investigators' Club was starting to shift restlessly, throwing suspicious looks at Ozuro and clearly wondering why Kuroo was taking so long.

"Go off with your friends," Ozuro instructed. "Just remember, I make a better ally than I do an enemy, son."

Kuroo nodded, feeling too stunned to say anything else even as relief was finally starting to pound against his heart. He took a step before his father's next words caught him.

"Besides, we'll have much to discuss later."

Ozuro smiled, his eyes fixed straight on Kenma.

ooooooo

"Hey."

Asahi heard Noya behind him and his shoulders tensed.

Asahi sat at the top of the Divination Tower, watching the late afternoon light settle around Hogwarts. It was an easy moment of normalcy, only set apart in the way that everything before it had been so abnormal.

Below, the Hogwarts students ambled around, either enjoying the warm sun or caught in a frantic rush of studying before the exams next week. None of them knew how much danger they had been in just last night.

Danger _from _Asahi, because of him even if he had never, never meant to. Danger if not for….

Noya stood beside him.

"Hey," Asahi whispered back and Noya sat down.

There was silence between them, heavy and waiting.

"Daichi told me the Ministry had finished interviewing you." Noya frowned. "They didn't give you too much trouble, right?"

Asahi shook his head. "Your Aunt Yuka was there."

Frankly, Asahi didn't know what to think of the meeting. It was indescribably strange to go from hopelessness and terror combined with the pain of shifting forms and the bone deep grief that he couldn't stop himself from killing anyone _to_ the muddled emotions that came with the transformation-instinctual, a mix of overly vivid and too ephemeral that he could never sort through them with his human brain-_to_…..waking up and being told that everything was alright, that he _didn't _kill anyone, didn't even hurt them, that the Ministry didn't want to punish him and instead was met with only some of the usual wariness paired with closely guarded eyes that seemed more curious than anything. All because of….

In a way, Asahi felt that he should have known. Noya always had a way of the impossible.

The impossible boy shifted beside him. "Asahi...can we….can we _talk_?"

Asahi hunched his shoulders and gave a nod.

"I'm sorry, Noya," he whispered.

"For what?" Noya tilted his head. "What do you have to be sorry for? For….for the fight? For calling werewolves monsters? Because I kind of figured out by now it's probably a longer story."

"I _do _think werewolves are monsters." Asahi hunched down even further, fiddling with his sleeves. "Or at least, they can be. That _I _can be."

Noya caught his hand mid fidget, hesitantly hovering over the sleeve. Asahi let him and Noya pulled up the sleeve, revealing the thin red lines that ran down his arm.

"How'd you get those," Noya asked. "I mean you don't have to tell me-"

"I don't remember," Asahi said and, suddenly, the words were burning in his chest because if he could tell _anyone_, he wanted to tell Noya. "I was three. You remember how some people thought werewolves were working for the Giant? How they'd attack them." Asahi looked down at his scars. "Apparently, they were hunting down one by my house. I don't know what happened to him-I don't even know their name. It was before wolfsbane so maybe he didn't even know what happened. Maybe he just…just…."

"Panicked," Noya finished.

"Yeah." Asahi rolled up his sleeves. "He probably didn't even mean to attack me; but, he still…." He folded his hands over the ends of his sleeves. "I didn't….I never wanted to be like that. To hurt people without meaning to, without any control." He mumbled the last words. "I didn't want the curse to turn me into a monster; but, it looks like it did anyway."

"Azumane." There was a hand on Asahi's collar jerking him down to meet Noya's eyes, "you could _never _be a monster! I keep telling you-"

"But I was!" Asahi was breathing heavily. "Noya, I was! I almost killed Hinata and Kageyama! I could have killed everyone! I could have killed _you _if you didn't-"

"I didn't do anything!" Noya yelled and now he was on his feet, glaring down at Asahi. "All I did was calm you down! You never _wanted _to kill anyone! How could you? You're _you!_ And, after everything that happened, if you say it's _your _fault...that anything, that _anything _last night happened because of you rather than Rezei or the stupid Ministry then I'll…." Noya scrubbed at his eyes, letting out a choked sound. "I don't know….I think….I think I might cry or something, so just, just _don't_-"

Asahi moved on instinct, standing and pulling Noya in. Noya didn't hesitate, burying his face into Asahi's shoulder and clenching fingers into his sweater.

"Don't say it's your fault," Noya whispered into the fabric. "Don't ever say it was your fault, Azumane, it wasn't."

"Okay," Asahi leaned his head on top of Noya's and felt his own heart stuttering in his chest. "Okay, it wasn't my fault."

Noya let out another choked sound, pulling himself further into Asahi's chest. Asahi closed his eyes, tightening his arms around Noya and feeling like he was holding the world.

When Noya finally drew away, his eyes were red but his smile was back, real and bright and Asahi…..Asahi….he couldn't help it….

He reached forward, rubbing his thumb under Noya's eye as his other hand cradled his cheek.

"I was so scared," Asahi said quietly. "I thought I was going to hurt you."

"You wouldn't. Never like that, Asahi." Noya leaned his face in Asahi's hands. "I was never scared of that. Not of _you._"

Asahi let out a half of a laugh that was more a sob. "Noya, I could have _killed _you."

"You wouldn't have," Noya said fiercely. He brought up his own hand to hold Asahi's steady against his cheek. "I was right, both about the boggarts and about you."

"Noya….," Asahi tried to breathe. "Noya, werewolves are dangerous. _I'm _dangerous. Just because you were fine this time, doesn't mean you'll always be. And, Noya, I'm afraid-I'm _so scared, _more than I am of anything else-that one day you'll be wrong. That one day something will go wrong and you'll be killed just because you loved something. And I can't lose you, I _can't. _But, I...I...I can't protect you, _no one_ can, because that's who you are and…"

Asahi closed his eyes.

And Asahi loved him and he was so, _so_ afraid of him because….

"Noya, you're never scared.."

"I was terrified," Noya said.

Asahi opened his eyes. "What?"

"I was terrified," Noya said bluntly. "Last night, I was _terrified._"

Asahi stared at him.

"I wasn't….I wasn't scared of _you_." Noya frowned. "I know _you'd _never hurt me. But, what if I was wrong? What if there really wasn't enough of you left when you transformed? What if the Ministry scared you at the wrong time and I was too close? What if I did everything right; but, it was already too late? What if I _did _get hurt, what if I died…..because I'm not stupid, Asahi. I know you, too. I know what that would mean." Noya let out a shuddering breath, looking up to meet Asahi's eyes. "I was terrified, Asahi. There were a million ways everything could go wrong and I….I've never been that scared in my life."

"Noya," Asahi began and Noya gripped the hand tightly that was still held against his cheek.

Noya didn't look away.

"I'm in love with you, Asahi," Noya said simply. "Of course, I was terrified."

Asahi didn't move. He felt like he was shaking apart and piecing together, shifting into something new and frighteningly the same.

He couldn't speak.

Noya still could.

"You're right," Noya looked down, "I know I'm not good at the whole….being careful thing. I've never been good at it. I just get excited and forget….but, I'll try to get better because….because I don't want you to lose me either. And I _definitely _don't want to lose you."

Asahi still couldn't speak.

"But, um," Noya smiled, looking up at him, "I'll still probably not be very good at the whole being careful part so do you think you could remind me sometimes? When I go too far?"

Asahi couldn't find words; but, he managed a nod.

"Thanks." Noya's smile grew. "What did I tell you, Asahi? You're always the best at keeping me safe."

_Always, if you let me._

Asahi found his voice.

"Noya….," Asahi met Noya's eyes.

And Noya looked back.

The world stilled, everything held on a single thread too close to breaking.

Asahi's voice didn't waver.

"Noya, will you go out with me?"

The thread broke.

Noya blinked. "Huh?"

Asahi froze, all the bravery of before dying a quick and ignoble death.

Noya looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"N-nevermind," Asahi stuttered out.

Oh Merlin, he'd been wrong. He survived everything last night and now, Asahi was going to die of embarrassment. Noya probably meant "in love" in a platonic way. Because they were friends and now he'd ruined it because-

"No, seriously, Asahi," Noya cut through his downward spiral, moving to grip at Asahi's collar and pull him down to eye level. "What are you talking about?"

"I….," Asahi tried to find his long forsaken Gryffindor courage. "I love you."

Noya's lips pulled up in a dazzling smile, some of the confusion melting away into pure light. "Yeah? Cool! I love you, too! But, I thought we already covered that?"

"No, um, I mean not just as friends," Asahi fumbled. "I'm in love with you, Noya. Like romantically."

"Well, yeah, I'd hope so." Noya rolled his eyes, grip still firm on Asahi's collar. "I'm in love with you, too. Romantically."

Asahi felt more confused than he ever had in his life, even as his heart felt like it was beating out of his chest. "Then, do you want to….to date me?"

Noya stared at him again.

Asahi reconsidered that Noya might actually be trying to kill him. "Or not-"

"I thought we were already dating," Noya interrupted him.

It was Asahi's turn to stare.

"W-what?" Asahi gaped. "How? Since _when?_"

Noya shrugged. "Remember back in my first year when me and Tanaka were hanging out in the common room and I was like 'Man, if someone gave me a Butter Beer right now, I think I would literally fall in love with them' and then you came by and said you had an extra one in your trunk if I wanted it and then I was like 'Oh, cool, does this mean I can fall in love with you' and then you went _super_ red and said 'if you want to' and I said 'awesome'?"

Asahi blinked because, yes, he did remember that time-somewhere filed away in the deep recesses of his brain to agonize over at night as one of the million and one times he thought his crush was far too obvious. But, more importantly-

"You thought we've been dating for _three years_?!"

Noya nodded. "Well, yeah. I'm always complimenting you and you're always blushing and complimenting me back. And why do you think I keep asking you to help me in Healing even though I got O's on like all the assignments last year?" He paused, frowning. "Asahi, I've literally sat in your lap on the Hogwarts Express for the past two years!"

"Because no one knows Expansion Charms," Asahi cried out even as his brain frantically reshuffled every single interaction he'd had with Noya since practically they first met. It fit alarmingly well.

"It's an excuse!" Noya had apparently decided to laugh at him. "I'm going into magizoology ! You really think I don't know a few good Expansion Charms by now?"

Asahi's mouth opened and closed for a full minute before he finally said. "But, we've never even _kissed?!_"

Noya blinked before he immediately brightened. "_Oh! _Oh, Asahi, that's awesome! I just thought you wanted to take it really, _really _slow because of all the blushing and I definitely didn't want to push you! But, if it was just because you didn't know, then I'm totally game to-"

Asahi kissed him to save his sanity.

And because he desperately wanted to and had for nearly four years.

In his arms, Noya melted against his chest, wrapping his hands around the back of Asahi's neck to pull him deeper.

It was like watching a storm roll over a field, like being caught in the rain, and like hair standing on end for incoming lightning. It was steady like the roots of the ground and loved like branches cherish the wind.

When Asahi pulled back, Noya waggled his eyebrows in a ridiculous gesture.

Asahi laughed, watching as Noya bounced on the tips of his toes before dragging Asahi back down to meet him.

Asahi's brain finally gave up any hope of having this make sense and just did what he wanted.

In the afternoon sun of a new day, Asahi was happy.

ooooooo

A/N:

Okay, quick confession, some things I add into this story books earlier because I'm like "ah, yes, this will be all cool and foreshadow-y and give a few hints" and then some things I add because I'm like "meh, this will amuse me". This chapter contains the payoffs for the later examples. With that:

1.) For Bokuto's weirdness and why he is the worst psychic ever, check out the first book (Shouyou Hinata and the Mirror of Erised) chapter 21 for Bokuto's one true prediction.

2.) A brief note on pensieves and why they didn't use them for the Kirika situation. It's my theory that pensieves aren't actual memories as much as they are impressions of the memories; therefor, really subjective and unable to be used as evidence. I have this theory because of how Slughorn was able to manipulate his memory (and it's implied this is what he was choosing to believe) and the fact that there's waaaaayyy too much in Harry Potter that would be easier if they could use pensieve as evidence-like Harry's trial, Voldemort's return and Cedric's death, and the entire Sirius situation.

3.) Remember way back in chapter one, where I was like this book is kinda a bridge book because I'm using it to set things up for the rest of the series? Anyway, a lot of things in this one will be expanded on heavily going forward-big things are coming.

4.) Next chapter is the last one for this one. As always because it's always true, thank you everyone for all your support on this series; I appreciate it SO MUCH that you've taken the time to read this story.

Next Chapter: The Bigger Picture

Post Date: May 17th


	23. The Bigger Picture

Adaptability was truly the greatest wonder that Hogwarts had to offer.

Adaptability meant that, in a year, even the stubbornest of first years could find their new House a home. Adaptability meant that many of the scorns and triumphs of new relationships and failed endeavors could be swept away in a summer's time. Adaptability meant facing anything-absolutely anything, from hidden treasures to a slew of petrifications-and coming out on the other side.

Adaptability meant that a media frenzy around another defense teacher gone murderous was no excuse for students missing exams. Especially if those exams were OWLs or NEWTs.

In other words, a week later, students were still whispering the name "Rezei" under their breaths but it was nothing to the current terror of class ranks.

In the Great Hall, Bokuto had his face buried in his hands.

"Maybe it won't be so bad," Suga tried at comforting.

"No, it _will_! I definitely will! Even the Muggle magazines didn't help." Bokuto slumped down into his defected mode. "I don't think I gave one actual divination this year. No way Onikobe lets me take the class past OWLs."

"Welll….," Suga fought back a wince, "maybe that won't be so bad?"

Bokuto sighed loudly. "I don't get it. Everyone with magic's supposed to be able to manage at least _one _prediction. What if….," he looked up with wide eyes, "what if I'm not actually a wizard!"

"Bo," Kuroo said dryly, "as we sit here, both fellow _wizards _at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and _Wizardry _where we've studied _magic _for the past five years, I sincerely doubt that's the case."

"What if I've been faking it!" Bokuto cried.

Iwaizumi hit him on the back of his head.

"Ow!" Bokuto looked at him betrayed. "Iwaizumi, you and Suga are supposed to be the nice ones!"

Oikawa snorted. "Iwa-chan? _Nice_? To whom?"

"Literally everyone except you," Kuroo replied breezily and Oikawa stuck out his tongue. Kuroo ignored him, focusing back on Bokuto. "Maybe you did give a prediction and you just forgot?"

"Ugh, that's even worse!" Bokuto pouted.

Oikawa rolled his eyes. "Maybe your magic's building up for something really big and when you're like a hundred, you'll give the biggest prophecy possible."

Bokuto immediately perked back up. "You really think so?"

The rest of the table exchanged a loaded look.

"...Yes?" Oikawa faked a smile.

"Awesome," Bokuto frowned in consideration. "Then, I better keep practicing."

"Nah, let the magic build," Kuroo advised and Bokuto nodded happily.

"And really, you should be worried about Arithmancy." Oikawa's face took on a haunted air. "We should _all _be worried about Arithmancy."

"That exam will haunt me in my nightmares," Kuroo said, utterly serious. "Are we still absolutely sure Professor Yamiji isn't trying to kill us?"

"It could be a long term plan," Oikawa reminded. "Bigger picture, yeah?"

Bokuto nodded. "Actually yeah, he keeps pulling me into his office to talk about my homework! For like hours, maybe it's a secret plan…"

Suga blinked. "I really don't think….."

"You guys are idiots," Iwaizumi said bluntly.

"We're idiots with a bet on the line." Oikawa grimaced. "No wait, we're _geniuses_ with a bet on the line."

"Good save," Kuroo teased.

"Hush, I'm defending us!"

Iwaizumi snorted. "If that's your defense, I know why Daishou's shield saved us in the Dueling competition."

"Lies and betrayal!" Oikawa huffed. "That's it! Next year, I'm abandoning all of you and becoming a hermit! At least my cave walls will appreciate my utter and unspeakable brilliance."

Suga smiled innocently. "How's wandless magic coming?"

"_Suga!" _Oikawa sputtered. He twisted to Bokuto. "It's official, you're my only friend now."

"Awesome!" Bokuto gave him a fist bump. "I'll never desert you."

"See!" Oikawa shook his head at the rest of them. "Loyalty."

Kuroo rolled his eyes at Bokuto. "Hufflepuff."

Bokuto just beamed.

"Yeah, yeah," Iwaizumi hooked a thumb to the front of the Great Hall. "Looks like Takeda's about to make the announcement."

"...E-excuse me, oh," the thin traces of Takeda's voice were drowned out by the cacophony of the Dining Hall as the Deputy Headmaster stood at the front. The friends watched as held up his wand to his throat before muttering a quick Amplifying Charm. "EXCUSE ME!"

The Hall fell into an immediate hush.

"I always forget to cast that charm, every year," Takeda said cheerfully. "Right, well on to what I'm sure you're all waiting for-final grades. For the new students, you will find two sheets in your envelope, your own scores and the class ranks for top ten students in each subject plus overall. The year's class ranks will be posted in your Common Rooms later this afternoon so try to have a look before the Closing Feast, alright?"

The Hall looked at him with anticipatory expressions that wouldn't be out of place for hungry wolves.

"R-right," Takeda continued. "Let's see if there's anything else….Oh, yes, for fifth year students taking their OWLs, please remember you'll need an O or an E to continue onto NEWT level. And...and I think that's all…." He took another glance at the students to find them all staring at him. "O-Okay. So, this has been an exciting year for all of us; but, just like an ashwinder, Hogwarts has shown that the heat of fire is where we always shine the brightest. I look forward to seeing all of you next Fall."

With that, Takeda waved his wand and hundreds of letters unfurled from thin air before landing in front of the expectant students.

Kuroo and Oikawa exchanged a look before immediately tearing into their letters with a ferociousness that had Bokuto and Suga both leaning back. Iwaizumi rolled his eyes hard enough to hurt.

"Ha, O in Charms," Oikawa called out.

Kuroo smirked. "Also, an O. O in Potions, you?"

"Please, Irihata loves me. Also, an O." Oikawa grimaced. "E in Herbology."

"O in Herbology," Kuroo announced, smirk growing.

"Stupid plants," Oikawa muttered. "O in Transfiguration and O in History of Magic."

"O in Transfiguration….E in History of Magic."

"We're even! O in both Runes and Magical Creatures."

"Same." Kuroo frowned. "They're still re-grading everything from Rezei's class which means the only one left is…"

"Arithmancy." Oikawa held his sheet close to his chest. "On three. Iwaizumi, count us down."

"_Don't _drag me into this," Iwaizumi warned, casually looking over his grades like a normal person.

"Suga, count us down."

Suga glanced up from where he was looking sympathetically at Bokuto's P in Divination. "Hmm? Okay, fine, three...two….one-"

"E IN ARITHMANCY," they said together.

Then, they blinked.

"Wait….," Oikawa said slowly.

Kuroo scrambled to find the overall class ranks. "We tied."

Oikawa groaned, leaning over to find their names together at the top of the list. "Well, that isn't any _fun_! I want a retrial! What if we took the exams again?"

"You two are the worst people I know," Iwaizumi deadpanned.

"Says _you, _Mr. O in Herbology."

Kuroo sighed, propping his head in his hand. "Maybe it's for the best. We probably shouldn't risk getting arrested so close to the time-turner mess."

Oikawa cocked his head. "Who said we'd get arrested?"

"Oh, with my favor, we'd definitely get arrested."

"Only if we got caught." Oikawa hummed, straightening up his sheets. "I suppose we should just be happy we passed Arithmancy.

"You two aren't planning on taking NEWT level for _that_, right," Iwaizumi asked warily.

Oikawa snorted. "Please, Iwa-chan, I'm not a masochist."

"Besides, Yamiji's class is one of the exceptions." Kuroo dismissed. "He only lets O students take it."

"Probably because there isn't anyone that can get an O," Oikawa huffed. "No one's taken NEWT Arithmancy in a decade, it's practically a myth."

"I don't know, I think I might take it," Bokuto said, still poking sadly at his Divination grade. "I mean I've got an extra slot since I can't take Divination. Might as well make Yamiji happy. And it is pretty cool."

He looked up to find the rest of the table staring at him.

He blinked. "What?"

Kuroo and Oikawa ignored him, both frantically digging through their class ranks.

"Merlin," Oikawa breathed out, looking at their Arithmancy class ranks. "You're first in the class!"

"Bo….," Kuroo said slowly, "what did you get in Arithmancy?"

"An O," Bokuto tilted his head like a particularly confused bird. "I told you, guys, I'm good at math! Mom taught me!"

Suga frowned. "Then, why did Professor Yamiji keep calling you into his office?"

"Huh? Oh, he kept wanting to talk about my homework in more depth." Bokuto rubbed the back of his neck. "And to stop doodling Quidditch plays on my assignments."

Oikawa and Kuroo were both staring at him with wide gaping mouths.

Iwaizumi took one look at them and finally started laughing, a loud booming laugh that Suga joined in on, too, until they were both hunched over the table.

Bokuto watched them curiously.

Oikawa eventually snapped out of it.

"Kotaro Bokuto, my one and only true friend," Oikawa clasped a hand on his shoulder, "you are a genius among wizards."

Kuroo laughed. "All hail the King!"

"I'm the best!" Bokuto agreed before blushing. "But, guys, it's really not that much. I mean it's not like it's Divination or anything…."

Oikawa moaned, letting his head thump on the table while Suga and Iwaizumi kept laughing.

Kuroo smiled.

He really loved his friends.

ooooooo

"Ugh, can you believe after all of this, they still made us take exams," Lev complained. "I feel like we should've gotten like insta-O's-academic success through life threatening circumstances."

Kenma gave him a withering look.

"You didn't have to take the exams last week." Yachi smiled. "Takeda did say we could have some extra time if we needed."

"And take them in summer?" Lev looked horrified. "The only thing worse than exams is exams when you could be doing nothing!"

"Or playing Quidditch," Hinata piped in before sighing. "I can't believe we have to wait all summer to play again!"

"We can probably make it to the field before heading to the train," Kageyama offered.

Hinata glanced up at his partner with an expression of utter rapture that wouldn't look out of place on a mother hearing their child's first word. "You really think we'll have time? The summer's going to be _sooooo _long, Kageyama."

"We'll make time," Kageyama said decisively.

"Yeah, and hey, the Quidditch Cup is in England this summer so maybe we can all-" Lev went pale. "Oh troll dung, cover for me?"

Lev dove, hiding behind the nearest suit of armor a few seconds before Yaku spotted the group.

Yaku narrowed his eyes, looking at the group. "Where's Lev?"

Three people spoke at the same time.

"He said he needed to go pack," said Yachi quickly.

"AHHH, HE, UM, CHANGED SCHOOLS," Hinata yelled.

"Who's Lev," Kageyama blurted.

Kenma sighed in a way that said he absolutely could not care less.

"...Right." Yaku suspiciously eyed the suit of armor with silver protruding hair. "Well, when you see him, remind him he needs to meet with me to go over his summer assignments."

"Of course," Yachi piped in before Hinata or Kageyama could speak.

"Thanks," Yaku said, before glancing at the suit of armor again and rolling his eyes to the sky. He finally continued down the hall before disappearing behind the corner.

Lev slipped out from behind the armor with a loud _bang! _"Anyone else think Yaku is kinda cute when he gets angry? I think it might be because he's so short; but-"

"What did you do," Kenma accused.

"Nothing!" Lev held up his hands in innocence. "_Actually_ nothing this time! I think he's still mad at me because he found out about the whole Rezei stuff from the paper; but, I mean come on-the news came out like that afternoon so I really didn't do anything this time!"

At the mention of their former Defense teacher, the group turned carefully to Yachi.

She gave a small smile. "I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me."

Hinata frowned. "But-"

He was stopped by a sudden hand on his shoulder.

Kenma looked at Yachi, expressionless face not wavering. "You don't have to be fine."

Yachi gave him a rueful look before sighing, turning her head up to look at the ceiling as she tried to find her words.

"Okay, I'm not _fine_," she said slowly. "I'm…..sad and confused and scared and I'm…..I'm really, really angry; but, I'm….."

She looked down, meeting her friends' eyes.

"But, I _know _I'm not fine," she said. "I don't want to be. Because fine would mean sitting back and waiting and I don't….that's not who I need to be anymore. That's now who I _want_ to be."

"I think…," she breathed, "I think I'm just really sick of needing other people to tell me when things are okay. So…."

The light from the window shone down to chase away the shadows.

Yachi smiled. "I'm not okay; but, I'm better."

The rest of her friends watched her.

Yachi tilted her head. "Or something like that anyway. Does that make sense?"

Hinata practically flung himself at her, remembering his weight at the last second so as not to knock the smaller girl down. "Yachi's so _cool!_"

Behind him, the rest of them were smiling.

"No, I'm not!" Yachi laughed. "Don't be silly, you guys are the cool ones!"

"Nope!" Hinata grinned down at her. "Trust me, Yachi is the _coolest!_"

ooooooo

"Ta-da!" Noya brandished the announcement. "Aunt Yuka just owled me a copy!"

Yamaguchi smiled."So, that's actually it! The boggarts are safe?"

"Yep, the boggart colony has _officially _been granted Ministry approved sanctuary. They can't touch them," Tanaka said, victorious.

Ennoshita shook his head, amazed. "After all that, I can't believe it actually worked."

Noya practically glowed. "And just think, now we can use this precedent for all the boggarts! We can save boggarts everywhere!"

"As long as they have an Attorney General speak in their favor," Tsukishima observed dryly.

Tanaka scratched his nose. "Um, yeah, Yachi's mom's defense might have helped a bit, admittedly. Maybe possibly more than our arguments-"

"Which were great," Noya interjected, "and reasonable and would have totally worked if the Ministry weren't a bunch of giant f-"

"We did good," Daichi interrupted, casting a glance at Asahi. "_All _of us."

Asahi shuffled on his feet. "Well, I don't know how much I really….," Daichi gave him a look and Asahi cut himself off. Instead he looked down, fighting the urge to fiddle with his sleeves. "What I mean is, um…._thank you. _For-for everything."

There was a long moment of silence that followed, long enough that Asahi finally risked glancing up at his friends only to find….

They were looking back at him and none of them looked afraid.

"You don't need to thank us. Of course we weren't going to let the Ministry hurt you." Yamaguchi let out a shuddering breath. "I'm just glad everything turned out okay."

Tsukishima huffed. "Personally, I still can't believe you're a werewolf. If anything, with your personality, you should turn into like a bunny or a mouse or something else incredibly non-intimidating."

"I think what Tsukishima means to say is….," Ennoshita smiled, "we're your friends, Asahi. We're always going to have your back."

Asahi swallowed, feeling something thick and heavy and _good _bound up tight underneath his chest.

Daichi punched him in the shoulder. "Exactly, you're _our _cowardly werewolf."

"You don't have to say it like that," Asahi complained even as he was smiling.  
"Bro, I still can't believe you actually know how to keep a secret?" Tanaka grinned. "It's always the quiet ones!"

"Of course, Asahi knows how to keep a secret," Daichi's grin widened. "After all, he didn't even tell _himself _he already had a boyfriend."

Asahi groaned, burying his face in his hands. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"

"Never," Daichi agreed.

Asahi groaned louder.

"Don't worry," Noya bounced up beside him, "I'll protect you from Daichi's mean bullying ways!"

Daichi laughed. "If you think _I'm _bad, wait until I tell Suga."

Asahi ignored him, smiling dopily at Noya. "My hero."

Noya beamed before tilting his head. "Though, I still can't believe you didn't realize-"

There was a knock on the door before Nao stuck his head in.

"Hey, Tanaka," Nao said, "there's this fancy, official looking owl for you."

"Huh?" Tanaka blinked before shrugging, heading off to the hall.

Nao stayed behind, arms crossed as he looked balefully over at the room's occupants.

Ennoshita sighed heavily. "Nao, I _told_ you we are oh so very sorry that life threatening terror made us momentarily forget about Quidditch!"

"I waited on the pitch for _two hours_!

"Your sacrifice is duly noted."

"And that's not why I'm mad." Nao stamped his foot, looking every inch an irritated eleven year old. "I'm mad because there was 'life threatening terror' that you left me out of! What's even the point of being a Gryffindor if I don't get to do all the cool stuff!"

"Merlin help us." Ennoshita shook his head before grabbing onto Nao's shoulder and steering him out of the room. "Come on, I'll help you get packed for the train."

The door shut behind them and Tsukishima frowned, a thought just occurring to him.

"Right, the train." He raised an eyebrow at the assembled room. "At least, tell me _someone _finally managed to learn a good Expansion Charm?"

Looking down at Noya, Asahi just caught his wink and the hint of a smile before….

"Ah, geeze, Tsuki. No, we've just been so busy with the boggarts, you know? It's okay, though." Noya grinned. "I don't mind sharing."

ooooooo

With the points from the Quidditch World Cup and _certain_ members of their House too preoccupied to get into point forfeiting trouble, there wasn't much surprise that Gryffindor won the House Cup.

That said, there was really nothing to stop the Great Hall from quickly descending into a madhouse the moment the announcement was made.

After nearly getting flattened by a group of sixth years celebrating by catapulting a Gryffindor second year into the air, Hinata managed to escape the commotion by diving under a table.

A restrained sigh made him look up.

Akaashi glanced down at him, helping him up onto a bench. "They really are the loudest House, aren't they?"

"Um, yeah," Hinata blinked. "Oh, shoot, I lost Yachi!"

"I believe she's fine." Akaashi smiled, gesturing over to Aone, where the larger Hufflepuff had stationed himself next to Yachi and _frowned_ at the more exuberant Gryffindors whenever they managed to get too close.

Both Akaashi and Hinata ducked as someone managed to set off a Wheezing Rocket that whistled across the Great Hall.

"I swear Headmaster Ukai is going to ban them from winning the House Cup for the next _decade_ at his rate." Akaashi paused. "Which might not be the worst…."

He cut off as the rocket made another pass.

Hinata winced, trying to find a subtle way to ask. "How's your….um 'headaches'?"

"Much better, actually." Akaashi said, checking to make sure there was no one close. "I'm not really sure why; but, ever since this weekend, my visions have been back to normal-not even a minor headache." He gave a small smile. "I hope whatever it was is actually fixed this time."

"Good!" Hinata sighed in relief. "I never want to go through another year without your visions helping again, too scary!"

Akaashi looked away, fingers tracing the whorls of the table. "My visions can't really do that much, honestly. Sometimes they can help; but, some things….some things I really can't seem to change, Hinata." The psychic cleared his throat, forcing back a smile. "Besides, from the sound of the news and what Bokuto's mentioned, it sounds like you handled things just fine."

"Yeah, I guess." Hinata laughed. "Good thing, Kuroo had the time-turner, right?"

Akaashi stared. "Kuroo had….he had…."

A mild stinging jinx hit the back of Hinata's hand and he looked back to find Oikawa waving him over.

"Ah, Akaashi, looks like I have to go." Hinata cocked his head. "Hey, you alright?"

"A _time-turner_," Akaashi muttered to himself, "Who gave them a Merlin begotten _time-turner?_! Oh those little….I'm going to _kill _them..."

Hinata decided it was probably fine. "...Okay, have a good summer!"

He set across the hall, dodging at least two sobbing Gryffindor seventh years, to finally end up behind Oikawa's carefully erected barrier.

Hinata poked at the slightly shimmering shield. "Isn't this a bit much?"

Oikawa took one look at the pandemonium of the Hall.

"No," he said succinctly.

Hinata huffed, hiding a smile as he looked up at the older muggleborn. "Well, alright, what do you want with me?"

"Oh, how gratitude is truly wasted on the youth." Oikawa arched an eyebrow. "I think you know what I want, my dear, destructive mentee."

"You're not my mentor."

"Superior, then."

"_Equal_," Hinata grinned..

"Yeah, yeah." Oikawa waved him on with his free hand. "I'm waiting…"

Hinata laughed. "Oikawa, you're a genius and a super, really great, awesome guy and I'm really, really happy you warned me about Rezei before I died."

"There, was that really so hard?" Oikawa smirked.

Hinata stuck out his tongue. "Bleh, I think my tongue's going to rot out."

"You were never this sarcastic when you were a cute first year." Oikawa sighed regretfully. "Suga's ruined you, such a tragedy."

"Did you really call me over here just so I could thank you," Hinata asked.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Oikawa's expression took on a light of considered nonchalance. "And maybe I wanted to check on you."

"Check on me?" Hinata blinked. "For what? Nekomata already cleared me for the Imperious stuff. I'm fine."

Oikawa gave him a serious look. "You had an Unforgivable Curse used on you, were nearly torn apart by a werewolf, and your best friend's aunt almost murdered you for being a muggleborn? How could you possibly be _fine_?"

"Yeah, but…," Hinata frowned, pushing down the darker fears that threatened to rise with the familiarity of ease. "But, it's not like I actually died, right? And everything kinda turned out alright so...I'm fine?"

Oikawa continued to stare at him and Hinata didn't like the way it made him squirm, uncomfortable as if there was something he was avoiding. Like he was hiding.

So, instead, he gave a small smile, glancing up shyly. "Besides, I had _you_, right? I mean you and Yachi and everyone else. You guys saved me so….I don't have to worry."

Oikawa stared at him for another second before finally, he sighed, his eyes caught among a strange mix of relief and regret and worry and possibly of wistfulness before it was all carefully tucked away.

"Yeah, Hinata." Oikawa smiled back. "You always have me. Just promise me one thing, alright?"

Hinata tilted his head. "What?"

Oikawa reached out, hand landing on Hinata's shoulder.

"Don't let them ruin you," Oikawa said quietly.

Hinata swallowed, not knowing the words to say.

It didn't matter because a second later, the seriousness had completely faded from Oikawa's expression, wiped away with a roll of eyes.

The hand on Hinata's shoulder moved to shove him away.

"Now, get your own shield. You're making me claustrophobic!"

Hinata spluttered. "You're the _worst!_"

Just then, there was a shuddering from the roof overhead and as one, the entire Hall fell into a silence, eyes glued to the giant Gryffindor banners that hung overhead.

Hinata squinted, trying to make out why they suddenly looked different. "What's happening?"

Oikawa glanced around the room, noting two highly suspicious absences.

"Oh, I think I have an idea," he muttered. "I was _wondering _what they were planning!"

In a boom of glitter and fireworks, the banners exploded into dozens and dozens of red birds, throwing the hall into a screeching exuberant panic.

From the overhang, Makki and Matsu flew their brooms over the chaos like kings overseeing their realm.

Hinata laughed, looking over the hall as the birds danced through the air, glitter weaving behind them and looking oddly elegant as they perched on student's arms and stole ribbons out of girls' hair.

Overhead, red and gold fireworks lit up across the Great Hall's night sky, forming giant faces of Makki and Matsu winking back at them.

"This is amazing," Hinata said in awe.

"Mhmm," Oikawa didn't even bother looking annoyed as one of the birds perched lightly on his fingers, "they have _way _too much time on their hands."

ooooooo

Noya futilely tried to shake the glitter and feathers out of his hair as he laughed his way back into the dorm room.

"There you are!" Noya called as he saw the room's other occupant. "Bro, you missed the End of the Year Feast-it was _awesome_!"

Tanaka didn't look up, holding a letter with shaking hands.

Noya frowned. "Bro...Ryuu, what's up?"

"...my parents died," Tanaka said, voice almost too quiet to hear.

Noya stopped moving. "What?"

Tanaka shoved forward the letter, pressed paper stamped officially with the Aurors seal. "Last week. They found their bodies in their cell, natural causes. They...they even examined the bodies and they couldn't find anything. _Nothing _out of the ordinary."

"Ryuu…," Noya stepped forward. "Ryuu, I'm sorry, I know you didn't really-"

"Yu," Tanaka cut him off. "That's not it."

With a jerky movement, Tanaka pointed to the desk.

Feeling unease whispering against his skin, Noya's eyes drew down.

A newspaper article stared back at him with the title _Hogwarts Professor Attempts to Murder Students; Ministry Officials on Scene Step In. _Over the title was a symbol-two crossed wands, interwoven with a snake. And almost covering the rest of the page with thick red letters was one word….

_Soon._

Noya looked up at Tanaka

"Noya," Tanaka's voice was unsteady, "how did they send me that the day after they died?"

ooooooo

"Ichiro...Master," Kirika Uragiri had collapsed to the floor in front of a man, pressing her face to the bottoms of his robes. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it was a _boggart! _I was fooled by a boggart! I shouldn't even be allowed in your presence. Ichiro….Master, I will never fail you again! I'll find Hitoka again and kill that little mudblood-"

"_Be quiet!"_

The woman who had been a prisoner flinched back, hands still clawing onto his robes, and the man who was Ignathe restrained from kicking her away.

Kirika Uragiri-proud daughter of a once noble house, renowned dueler of a generation, and one of the Giant's top generals-looked pathetic. Tears streaming down a half mad face with matted hair that the woman had forgotten to care about now that she was no longer hiding behind the face of a dead man.

She barely looked human, more an animal held tightly on the leash of her master.

With a bitter twist of his stomach, Ignathe felt disgusted. Revulsion and bile mixed together only to be shoved down with a force of will.

His hand wrapped around his wand and it would be so, so easy-just one spell, two words and she almost killed _him, _him the one person that-

Ignathe closed his eyes and thought about the past.

He called up the pretense of a kinder man, a visionary with a golden dream of what the world should be, a man who was a leader, one who inspired people to reach for greatness. A man who would look down at the crying woman with pity, urging her back to greatness under his hand.

A man with friends and a brother that had once called him _Ichiro._

But now, this man did not have that dream. The world around him was blackened and broken and no one else to see it but him. Ignathe did not have a best friend or a family, he only had memories.

And, for that, the world would burn.

But, what Ignathe did have was patience.

So, instead he painted on a smile that looked real and reached down to cup the woman's dirty face in his hands.

"Ichiro…," the woman breathed out, a benediction and a plea for forgiveness.

"Dry your tears, Kirika," he said softly. "Your face is one meant for laughter, is it not?"

Kirika hand reached up to wipe at her face, a relieved hiccuping laugh bubbling out. "Thank you, Ichiro, _thank you_!"

"Of course." He continued to smile. "You've always been one of my most loyal followers, Kirika, why else would you be the one I've saved from Azkaban?"

He let his smile fade. "Which is why I was so disappointed to find you disobeyed me."

"Ichiro?" Kirika blinked up. "Master, I would _never_-"

"But, you did, Kirika," he sighed tiredly. "Your job was to stay at Hogwarts and observe. And, instead, what have you done? You were selfish, you thought only of your own goals, and nearly ruined everything. We're lucky the Ministry is still inclined to sweeping things away. "

"It was Hitoka, Ichiro," Kirika pleaded. "My little Hitoka, being poisoned by that mudblood! How could I not act, how can I leave her with-"

"_You will not touch the boy," _Ignathe cut through her words, grip tightening against his wand.

Kirika recoiled. "M-Master?"

"You will not touch him, Kirika," Ignathe continued more softly. "This is your test of loyalty, the way for you to prove you'll still put _our _goals above your own selfish interests."

"But, Hitoka…."

"Do you not trust me," Ignathe said sadly. "After everything, you still don't trust our plan?"

"Of course," Kirika quickly answered. "Of course, Master!"

"Then, trust that I have everything handled-even one thirteen year old boy." Ignathe smiled, looking down at his desk and the confidential Ministry files spread on top of it. "And believe me when I say that my year's been far, far more successful."

ooooooo

From the window above, Minister Masaru Daishou sighed wistfully as he watched the students trail their way off to the Hogwarts Express.

"Ah, Ikkei, can you ever imagine that we were once that young?"

Headmaster Ikkei Ukai glared back. "I'm sure the Minister of Magic has better ways to spend his time than reminiscing, Masaru."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Masaru tapped along the window ledge before wandering back to the chair opposite the Headmaster. "There's a certain beautiful necessity in reminiscing, I think. Look too far forward and you forget what all you left behind."

Headmaster Ukai was still glaring at him; but, the Minister paid him no mind, his fingers trailing lackadaisical through the air as he continued.

"Besides there's so much you miss the first go around and, then, there's the rest that seems far, _far_ too important at the time before suddenly," Masaru spread out his hands like a magician, "you realize you've been focusing on the wrong place the entire time."

"Masaru…," the Headmaster warned.

Masaru simply smiled. "Certainly _you_ haven't moved too far ahead to forget your old secrets, Ikkei."

"I don't like secrets."

"Don't you?" Masaru sounded surprised. He leaned back to steeple his hands in front of him. "Then perhaps you could remind me how was it that Ichiro Ignathe died again? You were there, were you not? After all, you're the one who reported the Giant's death to the Ministry. Surely you won't mind refreshing me on the details."

"He died in a duel," Ukai said flatly.

"...Oh, right." Masaru feigned remembrance. "And who was it that finally killed him? Had to be a great wizard to have fallen a Giant."

Ukai met his eyes and gritted out, "I didn't recognize him."

Masaru smiled with false sympathy.

"_Of course_, you didn't," Masaru agreed. "And, of course, I believe you. After all, _who_ could possibly doubt Ikkei Ukai, the Light's great leader, when he comes to tell us our enemy is dead."

"_Of course, _how can we ever doubt? Even if he can't tell us more-not even show us a body. " The Minister tilted his head. "Or maybe you forgot. Old age gets us all, I suppose. _Pity. _I guess we'll just have to keep relying on your word then. After all, what reason could you even have to keep secrets, Ikkei?"

Masaru trailed off back into a smile as Ukai glared.

"You've made your point, Masaru."

The good humor flashed out of the Minister's expression, leaving behind the cold calculating glint of a man that was able to claw his way to power in a broken county after a war.

"One day, I'll find out what you're hiding, Ikkei," Masaru said simply. "And then, I'll use it to destroy you."

And then, the smile was back and the moment evaporated like morning dew.

"Ah, reminiscing," Masaru sighed happily. "Truly the greatest boon that age can grant is the beauty of perspective. Youth get too caught up in their own personal battles that they forget the bigger picture." The Minister brightened. "Speaking of, you have some truly remarkable students here. That Tetsuro Kuroo has been _remarkably _helpful for me."

"He didn't know what he was doing," Ukai said.

Masaru laughed. "Oh, he knew _exactly _what he was doing. He was saving a friend. He just didn't see the implications past the current battle-the butterfly effect." His smile grew. "The bigger picture, if you will."

Masaru waved the thought away. "Even if he didn't understand the true consequences, it doesn't matter much now. I'll even throw a deputy minister position at that father of his to keep him complacent." Masaru rolled his eyes. "Ozuro Kuroo, so very obsessed with gaining power and not a clue in the world what to do with it. _Still_ it is so much simpler to have a media hound at my side than against me. And speaking about publicity…."

The Minister cut his eyes to the Headmaster.

"The people sure do seem to be out for your blood. Don't they, Ikkei?" Masaru tsked. "And here I even tried to help you out by expediting that Sora mess two years ago…"

Ukai snorted loudly. "Only so it wouldn't come out that _you _were the one who ordered the board to hire him, just like you did with Masao Rezei. Just like you did with forcing me to keep the school open last year."

The Minister pulled back with a practiced affronted expression. "Me? Headmaster, this is your school. Surely you can't be suggesting I-a highly respected Ministry official-could in any way control a private institution like Hogwarts? Why, without a proper reason, that would break centuries of tradition?"

"Only if you consider blackmail and bribery control." Ukai stood up. "You're right, Masaru, I'm old. I can read the situation just as well as you've led us to it. So stop meandering around my office with your gloating dressed up as condolences and _tell me what you want!_"

"Such harsh language. This is why you'd never make a politician, Ukai." Masaru looked up at him, smiling victoriously. "In three years, Hogwarts has had two homicidal professors in two years and six petrifications where you still can't name the cause. All on school grounds. That's more than the public can ignore, Ikkei. Especially now that students are pointing towards Hogwarts hiring practices. There's been talk about getting the Ministry involved, even if the public's not quite there yet."

Masaru sighed. "Anyway, the Board-with some slight suggestions from myself-have come to the decision that Hogwarts is in dire need of some good publicity."

"What kind of publicity," Ukai demanded.

The Minister's smile grew.

"I was thinking a tournament."

ooooooo

A/N:

1.) First and always, always, always THANK YOU to everyone who has supported this story and this series. I appreciate you guys so, so much!

2.) For those keeping up with Akaashi's dream in Chapter 11, this chapter's last scene is where "What kind of publicity?" comes from.

3.) So Bokuto's prediction and Kuroo's actions, I got a few comments about this one last chapter and now with the last scene of this chapter, I can give more context. The choice Kuroo made was to help the wolf. In other words, he chose to confront his father, go to the woods, confront the Ministry, and openly put the blame on Hogwarts' hiring practices. The other choice would have been to follow Madoka in her quest to save Yachi from Rezei/ Kirika. If he did this, there would have been one more person there and they would have caught Kirika-at the cost of the situation with Asahi being MUCH more perilous. With Kirika caught, a breakout from Azkaban would have been obvious and not easily covered up-as it is currently. With public blame on the Ministry instead of Hogwarts, the Minister would not have had the pull (or the time) to push Hogwarts into doing the tournament. What would have happened with no tournament next year and everyone knowing Kirika had broken out of Azkaban...who can say ;) That's the Butterfly Effect.

4.) Hey, look, third one's over-ahh, I can't believe I'm almost halfway through this series. With that, I'll be taking a brief break to catch up on my other stories (always feel free to check out my other Hakyuu fantasy series if you're interested or my comic book series). The fourth one of this is fully planned and I've already started writing it. I should start posting it June/ early July.

This one is going to be a big one, guys, and with a lot of things that I believe ya'll are going to be very excited about. For now, here's the details (I'll update the series on my author page soon):

Main Characters are, pretty unquestionably this time, Oikawa and Hinata. In other words, stuff's about to go down.

Other major character(s) plots (it's going to be a long book): Noya and Tanaka, Tsukishima, Kageyama, Kuroo and Kenma, and...Ushijima. You should have come to Durmstrang.

First line: "It was impossible to forget the first sight of Hogwarts."

Title: Tooru Oikawa and the Triwizard Tournament

Summary:

The Tri-Wizard tournament has come to Hogwarts!

Plus, Noya and Tanaka try their hands at something new, the rest of the Crows suffer, a minor Quidditch rebellion is staged, and the rest of the Wizarding World eagerly awaits a champion. Meanwhile, as Hogwarts welcomes her new visitors, some are still more worried about the Yule Ball.

Through everything, Oikawa and Hinata are reminded of the worth of pride.

ooooo  
Wow, okay, this was a longer note than I planned. Again, thank you so much, everyone!


End file.
